Darkness's Son Two: The Darkness Is There
by The Hope Lions
Summary: Sequel to "But Light Was Always the Son of Darkness" Luke Skywalker has been living with his father for four years, but that doesn't mean it's gotten any easier. Now that Luke is no longer a child he has to deal with a whole host of new problems. Sooner or later he's bound to crack under the pressure of what it means to be Darth Vader's Jedi son. Updated daily!
1. Chapter 1

Guess who's back!

Hey guys, I'm so glad to be back posting. I've actually been working on this since I finished the last one, but I wanted to wait until I was out of school and mostly done to start posting. I figure with 17 chapters done that gives me 17 days to write the final 3 or 4 chapters, so I should be able to post daily without interruptions.

I hope you enjoy this next installment. I'm never sure with this fic, but it's fun to write.

Disclaimer: I only own a couple shares of Disney, which is probably not enough for me to say I own Star Wars, so I don't.

ENJOY!

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Chapter 1

Luke bounded down one of the many alleys that cut his commute time in half, laughing at the terrified look on his best friend, Rickon Cassel's, face. "I'm kidding! Oh Force you're so gullible."

Rickon was not laughing, but he did allow himself to stand within a reasonable distance of Luke. "It's not gullible when half these things you say are actually true!"

"The Force doesn't alter physical appearances, just someone's perception of it," Luke laughed, patting his stockier friend on the back. Rickon still looked ready to crap himself, and so Luke pulled out his datapad to use as a mirror. "See, your hair is not pink. Besides, if I wanted to dye your hair I wouldn't need to use the Force. I'd just do it while you're sleeping in Politics."

Rickon rolled his eyes, slapping Luke's chest with the datapad. "Mr. Binns is boring and naïve, but he's not stupid. I think he'd notice."

"Not if I used the Force to alter his perception," Luke teased, taking off at a run as Rickon tried to hit him. Luke was much smaller than his friend, and by no means faster, but Luke had the Force. When Rickon caught up, Luke simply jumped on the windowsill of a long abandoned apartment, and laughed at Rickon's annoyed face.

"You're insufferable!" Rickon called up, attempting to hide his grin. Luke noticed it though, and chuckled as he crawled down from the ledge. He was never quite as comfortable with going down as going up, so Luke hung down before dropping instead of just jumping.

When Luke's feet touched the ground, he was still facing the wall, and noticed the paint. Rubbing the grime with his sleeve, he revealed an orange rebel symbol.

There was a flash of light from behind Luke, and he turned quickly. A speeder was flying towards them, the pilot holding a holocam in one hand and steering with the other. "Halt rebels!"

"If we get arrested again I'm going to kill you," Rickon grumbled, putting his hands up and turning.

Luke rolled his eyes, and turned himself. He wanted to say that it had only been one time, but Jedi didn't lie. He and Rickon had actually gotten arrested at least a half dozen times over their four year friendship, and every single time it was Luke's fault. What could he say, the Force complicates life. "On the bright side, if you kill me my father won't be able to."

The speeder had drawn closer, but there was no stormtrooper inside. Just the pilot, his camera, and a sign that said **Coruscant Sentinel.** Luke suddenly decided that he'd have been better off getting arrested, because the media was far worse. The reporter was young, with bright green eyes and a haircut that showed his hopes for life. When he parked in the middle of the street and jumped out to greet them, Luke decided he really, really would have been better off getting arrested.

"Rebels in the Senate District, this is great!" He chimed, snapping another picture. "So what do you have to sa… wait, don't I know you?"

"No," Rickon, who'd been through this whole thing as many times as Luke, chimed in stepping in front of his friend. "Not unless you habit lower east end barbershops often."

Luke flashed Rickon a look; that was certainly the worst cover story ever. And his point was proven when the reporter's eyes went wide, "You're Lord Vader's son! Luke, right?"

"No, my name's Ben," Luke replied, his voice even and calm, but Rickon's eyes betrayed them and the reporter started to grin. "Fine, yes, I'm Luke, no I don't have any comments about whatever my father has done recently. No I'm not even sure what my father had done recently. Yes I think the Alliance is close to falling. No I've never seen my father without his mask…" Luke tried to think of the other common questions but none came. "Okay, Rickon, we're going."

The reporter grabbed Luke's shoulder, pulling the teen back. "Look you've got to give me something. My last celebrity piece fell through and this, this could save my career. Please, just a few questions."

Luke sighed, and faced the stubborn reporter. "Look, I would help you, but my father promised to kill the next person who posted something about me on the HoloNet. No career is worth that."

The teen expected the shock value of his statement to do the trick, but the reporter again grabbed Luke's shirt and pulled him back, forcefully. A part of Luke just wanted to draw on the Force to physically push the reporter away, but the teen knew that would be a bit overkill. Instead he took a deep breath, centering himself in the Force before waving his hand, "You value your life."

The reporter's hand dropped from Luke's shoulder, and he blinked, "I value my life."

"You will erase all your notes about this meeting, leave, and forget about it."

"I will erase all my notes about this meeting, leave, and forget about it," the reporter repeated, scratching Luke's generic answers off his pad, and climbing back into his speeder. The reporter hesitated for a moment, probably wondering why he was giving up so easily, but Luke gave him another subtle prod with the Force and the reporter disappeared quickly into the lanes of Coruscant traffic.

Luke grinned to himself and Rickon's dark eyes bulged, "I thought you said you couldn't do Jedi mind tricks."

"I couldn't… when you asked. But that was over a year ago. I can do a lot of things now I couldn't do then," Luke shrugged, rounding the corner towards his apartment. Republica500 loomed above him, the doorway separated only by a fence which Luke easily flipped over.

"You know I'm really glad you're my friend sometimes," Rickon grumbled, struggling his way over the fence. Even with his greater physical prowess, Rickon struggled to match Luke. He couldn't imagine how difficult it would be to go against Luke in a fight. Luke didn't see it of course; he was utterly oblivious to the power he held. For that Rickon was grateful. Luke was bold, but he wasn't arrogant. If Luke was arrogant they probably would get arrested twice as often.

"I just can't wait until my birthday so I can just fly us to and from school," Luke sighed. He was having more and more issues with the media as the Alliance got bolder and bolder. Everyone wanted to know what was going on, and the reporters all thought Luke should somehow know considering who his dad was. They had no clue that Luke and his father had agreed not ever to speak of the Alliance, as it only caused fights.

"You're just lucky your father has already bought you a speeder!" Rickon grumbled taking the long path to the apartment complex's door just so he could go and brush off the dust that had accumulated on the beautiful black airspeeder Luke's father had brought home the other day. "Mine still thinks it's too dangerous."

Luke chuckled, smiling at his speeder himself. It was a beautiful birthday present, even if Luke was questioning why his father had picked it up a week early. "Well our fathers just have different definitions of danger, that's all. When he was our age my father had a habit of jumping out of moving speeders, so he figures me piloting one to and from school isn't the worst idea."

"Your father told you he used to jump out of speeders?" Rickon sounded surprised, and for good reason. Luke had gone on many times about how his father refused to share any details of his past. For Vader to say something as casual as having jumped out of speeders would be very uncharacteristic.

Which was probably why Luke looked so guilty. "Luke, what did you do?"

The teen Jedi bit his lip, "Promise me you won't tell my father… or your father… or even Leah."

"I can guarantee you Leah already knows, she knows everything," Rickon reminded Luke, rolling his eyes. It was true too. The last member of their friend group was always too-well informed. "And I don't make a habit of talking to your father. I wouldn't even have agreed to watch this race if your father wasn't offworld."

That was true. Rickon had been known to consider jumping from the penthouse window over walking out the front door whenever Vader came home. His reluctance to speak to Luke's father was why the teen could tell him things. "Okay. I've been going to the Jedi temple on weekends."

"You've been doing what!" Rickon scream-whispered, looking around frantically for stormtroopers coming to arrest them. "Do you realize how illegal that is?"

Of course Luke knew it was illegal, but technically so was his father's Jedi training, which the Emperor himself sanctioned. "Well the Emperor wants me to be trained as a Jedi, and I figured that even my father can't know everything so I should go look in their archives. Well the Jedi Archives are the biggest thing I've ever seen, it would be impossible for me to read everything, so I figured out how to search for specific files. But I couldn't know that I was using the system correctly unless I searched for files that I knew existed so I searched my father's name, Anakin, not Vader and I got thousands of results! Apparently he had to submit a report for every single mission he went on, and they're all there. So I've been reading them."

Sometimes Luke did stupid things. Sometimes Luke did things that could get him killed. Sometimes Luke did things that had the potential to make whole star systems erupt into chaos. This was certainly the kind of action that fell into the last category.

And Rickon was so used to it he could just shrug it off, "I'm going to laugh at your funeral, you know that right? I'm just going to laugh."

Luke gently punched his friend, recovered his speeder, and moved towards the complex door. As he got closer to the building, Luke felt an overwhelming burst in the Force that could only have one source. "Rickon, I'm not so sure you're going to want to watch this swoop race on my projector."

"But your projector is twice the size of mine," Rickon reminded, keying in the code to the complex he'd memorized years ago. "Why would I ever not want to… oh, your father just got home, didn't he?" Rickon was a approaching six-feet and already filling out at 15, but he suddenly looked very terrified. "Yeah, I'm just going to catch a taxi so I can watch it at home."

"Sorry," Luke sighed, wishing his friends weren't so terrified of his father, but understanding why they were. No one was larger or scarier than Luke's father, at least not at first glance. "You can still come in. He doesn't hate you half as much as when we were kids."

"Does he still remember me breaking his priceless Sith artifact that I swear looked like a bug?"

"Yes."

"I'll watch the race at home," Rickon decided, slinging his bag back on his shoulder and letting the much smaller Luke pass under his arm and into the apartment complex. "See you tomorrow."

"Bye," Luke waved, watching his friend get into a taxi before heading up to his own apartment, greeting all the doormen and janitors he saw on the way. He didn't blame Rickon for wanting to go, but he just wished he hadn't. It's not like Luke's father was an unreasonable human being. Just because he remembered the shenanigans Rickon had been involved with didn't mean he disliked Rickon. Actually, Vader insisted that he very much liked Rickon, as 'Luke having all his limbs surely comes from Cassel's temperance.'

Why he seemed to think Luke was inclined to lose a limb without his friend being around, the teen had no idea. After all, Vader lost all his limbs because of his best friend, not despite him.

"Why do I have a feeling this night is only going to get worse?"


	2. Chapter 2

I know, I know it hasn't even been 12 hours and technically since my update was at 12:02 for me this is updating twice in a day but... well when have I ever been known to update regularly. (Okay, I did on the original, but that was because I updated in Biology every day, but now that I'm out of school I don't need to endure that class any longer.)

Anyways, enjoy! And if you see something that doesn't make sense tell me. I've already gone back and changed Rickon's height and am always glad to make little changes to improve the story's quality. Thanks to everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed, now on to the story.

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Chapter 2

Luke's night got worse.

As soon as the elevator brought him to his penthouse apartment, Luke could feel the pain radiating through the Force. It was almost overwhelming, like a cloud of darkness permeating every ounce of the house. Luke had never felt such pain in his life, and, when the elevator doors opened, he saw that it all resonated from his nanny, Nila.

"Nila, what's wrong?" he asked, moving to the woman's side. She looked at Luke, and he noticed her eyes were splotchy and red. She'd obviously been sobbing, but why?

"Oh Luke," she whispered, hugging the boy tight. He'd grown so much in the past four years, but he was still so very much the little boy who'd liked spaceships and the stars. "I'm so sorry."

For what? Luke looked around for answers, and noticed her room was all packed up. "You're leaving?" Luke asked, his voice cracking at the realization. No, Nila couldn't be leaving. "Did my father say something because I know he didn't mean it. He just has a horrible sense of humor."

Nila tried to laugh, but it got caught in a blubber, as she sat down on the edge of her bed and pulled Luke down besides her. "It's not your father. Your father's a good man he came to tell me himself… My son, my Adrian is… he's dead. There was a rebel attack at his base and…" She broke off, trying to fight back the tears, but Luke felt her pain anyways. It screamed through the Force. "He has a daughter… She already lost her mother and now this? It's just not right! It's just…"

"You have to go and take care of her," Luke nodded, trying to distinguish her heart wrenching pain from his own sadness of her leaving. He got why she had to leave, really Luke did, but it hurt. She was as close to a mother as Luke had. Every day for almost four years she'd cooked for him and helped him with homework. She'd even dared stand up to Vader on Luke's behalf, because she loved him. Luke knew she loved him, but Nila loved her family as well, and her granddaughter needed her more than Luke did. "I understand. And Nila I'm so, so sorry."

She nodded, trying to wipe her tears as she stood, but falling back a little bit. Nila was old, and this stress was doing her no good. Luke wished he could do something to help her, and managed to send out small tendrils of comfort through the Force.

Luke didn't know if she felt them, but Nila smiled a bit. "I'll visit. And if you ever need me I'm only a Com away. Okay?" She asked, brushing Luke's hair from his face like she used to do when he was little. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I'll miss you too," Luke replied, trying to hold back just how much he'd miss her from showing. If she knew she just might not have the strength to leave, and Nila didn't deserve that. "Now go."

She nodded, giving the boy one last hug as she disappeared out the door. Once she was out of sight, Luke let out his own choking sob he hadn't known he was holding back. What on Coruscant was he supposed to do without Nila?

"It's a sad thing to see her go." Luke was suddenly reminded of his father's presence as Nila's sadness disappeared with her. The teen tried to wipe away his tears before his father saw them, but Vader made no comment. To Vader, Luke was still a child, and children cried. For all intensive purposes Luke was losing his mother, and Anakin knew a thing or two about how that felt.

"But perhaps a good opportunity for you," Luke's father continued. "You're old enough now to be independent when I'm not around and C-3PO is smart enough to call for help should you set the apartment on fire."

Luke chuckled a bit, well aware that his father was trying to make him feel better at the expense of the little gold droid. "Yeah, and R2 knows how to control the sprinklers."

"Then it is settled, you do not need a new caretaker," Vader agreed, glad. It wasn't so much that he disliked having the woman around, but she coddled Luke. He was getting too powerful as a Force-user to act like a child, and having more responsibilities would help him grow into a responsible human being… hopefully. It hadn't exactly worked out when Obi-Wan tried it, but Padmé had been a queen at Luke's age, and he had some of her genes. Luke would be fine on his own, and if he was not… well when Vader promoted Captain Cassel to Admiral he'd asked the man to keep an even closer eye on Luke. If the teen got into trouble, at least his father would know quickly.

Vader's Comlink buzzed, and Luke set about attempting to make dinner. Nila had been teaching him how to cook… how difficult could it be?

Luke was trying to find the pans when his father screamed his name, "LUUUKE!"

The teen turned sheepishly, wondering how he'd already messed up. His father stood in the living room, shooting daggers at a datapad through his mask. Once Luke turned, his father flipped the pad up so he could see the image of himself standing next to the rebel symbol from earlier. The caption read: **Darth Vader's Son a Rebel Sympathizer**.

Oh Luke knew he was so screwed. The angle made it seem as if Luke had pained the symbol, and from the sheer anger radiating from Luke's father, he believed it as well. "Kriff," Luke muttered before realizing that that kind of language was only making his father angrier. "Look I didn't paint that."

"Then who in Malachor did? Cassel?"

"No, not Rickon!" Luke grumbled. He couldn't believe his father was angry at him! "It was already there. The damn reporter just made it look like I'd done it. Look, no spray-paint in sight. How am I supposed to have drawn it, with the Force?"

Vader studied the picture, and found Luke's words rung true. As quickly as it had bubbled up, the Sith's anger refocused, "Who was this 'reporter'?"

Luke wanted to bang his head against a wall. "No one, just, forget about it. People post trash on the HoloNet all the time no one is going to actually believe it. You're probably the only one who considered it a possibility for a second."

"For good reason. You do have a history of sympathizing with the rebels. Do you remember the first thing you said to me?"

Luke rolled his eyes; his father brought this up every time Luke said something vaguely anti-empire. (He didn't care if Luke said something against the Emperor, or even him, just the Empire itself.) "I told you I was going to be a rebel and kill you, I know. In my defense, I did think you'd killed my father."

"I recall. Now what can you tell me about this reporter."

Luke wasn't surprised his father wasn't going to just drop it, but he really didn't want to see the man killed. "Dad…"

"Father."

For the sake of the stupid reporter, Luke managed not to roll his eyes. "Father, please don't waste time and resources searching for the reporter. He's probably confused how he even got this holo anyways. I'm pretty sure I told him to forget seeing me."

Through his raging hate at the reporter a tendril of pride burst out for Luke. "You used a mind trick?"

"Yup, and it worked like a charm, so he's already had a bad enough day. Just leave it be, please?"

Luke could tell his father was considering it, but the lack of promise one way or another didn't give him much hope. He'd told the stupid reporter what his father was going to do. Why couldn't he have just listened?

"Fine, you go kill the man for attempting to do his job, and buy a food synthesizer while you're out, because I don't think C-3PO knows how to cook," Luke huffed, heading to his room and slamming the door. Quickly he realized that he'd basically just succeeded in sending himself to bed without dinner, and really, really, really wished his father hadn't come home a day early.

Meanwhile Vader found the reporter's name easily, and cast a final glance at Luke's room wondering if he'd been half as bad. If so, it was a wonder that Obi-Wan hadn't been the one to turn to the Dark Side first.

* * *

Luke found that those days he had his engineering elective first period were the best. There was just something about working on broken machines that made him calm, centered, in the way even meditation couldn't. There was a problem and a solution with machines, and Luke loved that.

Luke loved it enough that his foul mood from the previous night's events had dissipated by the time he found Rickon in Naboo class second period. "Hey, who won the race?"

"Syndulla," Rickon replied. "Why didn't you watch it? Don't tell me your father wouldn't let you because of that HoloNet thing."

Luke wanted to slam his head on the desk, but instead just rolled his eyes. "You saw that?"

"I'm pretty sure everyone saw it," Rickon muttered, offering Luke a sympathetic pat on the back. "The only reason everyone isn't talking about it is because they're talking about the new guy."

New guy? Luke looked around, but it appeared this new guy wasn't in Naboo class. If he was, he had the uncanny ability to look like the other kids Luke had been in class with for years. "Who is he?"

"Admiral Catrand's new step-son, but from the way he talks you'd think he was the Emperor himself. Honestly I only got him to shut up about Catrand's new Stardestroyer by reminding him that there would be no need for the _Enterprise_ if the _Loyalty_ hadn't been torn to shreds by rebels."

Luke chuckled imagining that the haughty kid must have been horrified, then he realized that quite a few of his classmates were staring at the word 'rebel' and remembered the stupid reporter. Suddenly it wasn't so funny. "You didn't tell your dad that that's your hand in the corner of the photo, right?"

"Nah, but he probably guessed," Rickon shrugged not needing the Force to sense Luke's depression. "Your father angry?"

"More at the reporter than me. I just… Why does he insist on killing people?"

Rickon had no answer to that, how could he, so they were all grateful when the bell rung and Mrs. Soruna began speaking, "Now everyone has their permission slips and payment forms in, right? I'm passing around a packing list as I'm sure none of you have even begun planning for tomorrow night's trip."

Luke had completely forgotten about their overnight trip to Naboo, but the reminder lifted his spirits. He was going to get to see his mother's homeworld, and maybe, just maybe, he'd be able to know her beyond pictures on a datapad.

"Now I want to remind you all that this is an educational trip and to be on your best behavior… We wouldn't want any interplanetary disputes now would we?"

"Do you think that's a possibility?" Rickon whispered to Luke who just gave him that look. Considering that half their class had senators for parents yeah, an interplanetary dispute was definitely a possibility.

Not that daily lunchtime interactions at their school didn't cause those as well.

The day rolled by quickly, and by lunch everyone was talking about the new kid. Luke actually found it a bit disturbing, wondering if he'd been this talked about when he first arrived. It made him wonder if perhaps he should reach out to the new kid, offer him some friendly advice about who to ignore and who to respect.

Luke was so set on the idea that he immediately looked around the cafeteria for a new face, and didn't find one. No, no what he found instead was an old face, one he'd never expected to see again. "Bantha fodder," he muttered turning his head away and using his lunch tray as a sort of cover. It looked pretty ridiculous though, and didn't at all do the trick. Nope, it instead attracted the new guy's attention right at him.

"Luke?"

Luke wanted to crawl away and hide, but stood his ground. "Brandon."

Brandon looked exactly how Luke remembered him, scowl and all. When Luke had been at Vorus Detention center he and Brandon had been quick friends… until Brandon thought Luke was a rebel and completely disowned him. Luke found it ironic that the dark haired kleptomaniac found his way to Luke's new school the same day everyone was talking about that photograph. It was almost as if the Force was laughing at Luke. (Which, considering history, it probably was.)

"You know each other?" Rickon whispered, looking between the two boys who were eyeing each other. Luke was pretty calm, but then again Luke was always calm. Brandon on the other hand… he looked ready to kill someone. "How do you two know each other?"

Luke would have answered Rickon honestly, but Brandon spoke to Luke first. "I can't believe they'd let you in anywhere with the Emperor's name, Rebel scum. Actually, I can't believe you're alive. Last I remember you were getting called out of class to have some face-to-face time with Lord Vader."

It hadn't crossed Luke's mind until that very moment that Brandon didn't know, and suddenly the teen Jedi wasn't frightened at all. So Brandon was a not-so-great part of Luke's past. The past was the past, and Luke had dirt on Brandon too.

No one else knew that though. A crowd of military kids had formed around the pair, and only one of the nicer girls, Nil, had the brains to ask the question everyone was wondering. "Why would Vader kill Luke?"

"Because he's a rebel?" Brandon seemed to think he was revealing Luke's darkest secret, but everyone just laughed. "What? Why are you laughing? Luke was arrested for being a rebel."

Jes, the only other person whose father was an Admiral, let out an awkward laugh, "I saw the picture of you on the HoloNet last night and thought the reporter was an idiot. Does this happen to you a lot?"

"Yeah, I've been arrested for being a rebel… probably three times?" Luke laughed, trying not to derive pleasure from the fire burning inside Brandon. "My father calls me one on a daily basis."

Brandon was steaming, fully aware of there being something he didn't know, and still attempting to gain the higher ground. "What are you even talking about? Your father is dead, you told me that years ago."

"His father is Lord Vader," Leah was sitting at their usual table in the corner, laughing hysterically at the crowd gathered around her friend. Luke hadn't even noticed here there, munching away at her sandwich as everyone else scrambled, but that didn't surprise him. That was just Leah's way.

"What? No he isn't. Luke's a rebel orphan from Tatooine."

"I mean I'm from Tatooine, but Leah is telling the truth," Luke told his once-friend with a shrug. He sort of felt bad for Brandon, who was obviously embarrassed, but at the same time he deserved it for being so nasty. "If it makes you feel better I didn't know last time we saw you. I found out… well that day I left I guess."

Brandon's face was bright red, and his mouth hung open as he slowly backed away, taking the crowd with him. Once they were all gone, Leah began laughing again, and Luke slapped her gently on the back of the head. "I feel bad. He really had no way of knowing."

"He was being obnoxious," Leah pointed out, not at all feeling the remorse Luke's compassion brought about. It wasn't that Leah was heartless so much as she didn't waste time feeling bad for people who brought stuff upon themselves. "He was trying to make everyone hate you."

Luke looked around, pointing to all the empty seats at the table occupied only by himself, Leah, and Rickon. "I'm pretty sure he doesn't have to say anything to do that."

"Everyone doesn't hate you… they just don't exactly know how to interact with you. You are kind of weird," Rickon reminded, waving his hand in something that was probably supposed to look like a Jedi mind trick. "But if it makes you feel better everyone is definitely too scared of you to hate you."

"Oh yeah, that definitely makes me feel better."

* * *

"Luke! Less height!" Couch Dug called out for probably the twelfth time. It was the first gymnastics practice of the season, and they were running through last year's routines, trying to figure out what to keep and what to toss out. Luke's whole routine was all over the place, because he's simply grown so much in the last year. "Stop, just stop."

Luke finished the flip, the floor shuttering under the force of his landing. A couple of the girls who were supposed to be spotting each other on the bars laughed, and Luke's face was red not from exertion. "I'm sorry Coach I just…"

"Need to tell your father that you have absolutely no control? Yeah I'm getting that. Just try not to use, well you know, or just go wear yourself out on the high bar. And I need to talk to you after practice, okay? It's important."

Luke nodded, scuttling away as Coach Dug went to go watch the girls. He had no idea why he was so out of control. Sure, his powers were growing, but he wasn't even trying to use the Force, actually he was trying not to. (It always felt a bit like cheating when Luke used the Force.)

It appeared the frustrations were due to just keep growing, and Luke didn't even have the patience to pretend he needed a spring board or chair to get up onto the high bar. He just jumped up ignoring the looks everyone gave him. Couch Dug was right; Luke needed to burn off some steam. Using the Force to hurl himself around the bar had an immediate calming effect similar to mechanics. When Luke dropped down, his body was drenched in sweat, and his hands chaffing, but he felt a lot better and could stick the landing instead of jumping forward a foot from excess energy.

"That's enough for today," Couch Dug called out, staring right at Luke. Oops, apparently he'd been attracting attention from more than just the rookie girls who'd never seen him in action before. "Luke."

With his energy gone, Luke sulked over to the coach, helping him fold up the mats as the girls left. Once they were alone, Dug nodded, and Luke used to Force to quickly stack everything up. "You've gotten more powerful."

"It's like…" Dug had a fascination with the Force, and was one of the few people who dared ask Luke about it. The teen never knew how to describe it though. "It's like a well, but it's not just around me anymore, it's coming from within me. I'm trying to control it, I swear but it's just been a rough couple of days."

Dug nodded, sitting down on the mats and motioning for Luke to do the same. "Luke I'm not really worried about your Force powers making you jump too high, you'll figure it out. I'm just worried because…Luke, I know your situation is very unique, and I know it's hard for you sometimes. And I know your father can be a hard man to get along with. It's natural at your age to try and get back at your father, I know I did it, but you are in a precarious situation… I'll just be honest. The Coruscant Youth Gymnastics Council contacted me today with concerns about your behavior. Now you know that the CYGC has strict anti-rebel rules in place. They agreed to let you off with just a warning because of the situation but…"

Luke began to laugh, all the anxiety and stress of the past few days bubbling over to make him slightly hysterical. "This is about that stupid HoloNet thing? By the Force does no one stop to think about the fact that I had no paint? I didn't draw it."

Dug blushed, "I'm sorry Luke I shouldn't have assumed. I know you're not a rebel and just figured… Well I thought you were trying to upset your father."

"Trust me, I don't need to go draw rebel symbols to upset my father. The Force just leads me into trouble occasionally, or well a lot."

"Just try to keep out of the HoloNet, I want you to be able to compete."

Luke nodded, but he really wasn't worried. He doubted that photographer was still alive, and his peers would certainly get the message- Luke Skywalker was off limits.

* * *

AN: PS, I don't know when my chapters got so long either. If you think they're now too long let me know. I can always fiddle with things if I know there is a problem.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Luke's father was already meditating in their gym when the boy got home and plopped down. The teen was steaming in annoyance, frustration and anger making the Dark Side mill about. Vader was not particularly concerned when Luke touched the Dark side, not in the way most would be, but it was odd. Luke was normally astoundingly good at controlling his emotions. Vader wasn't even sure he'd be able to turn Luke when the time came Luke was normally so good at keeping calm. "What is wrong?

"I have mounds of Homework, the Force is ruining my floor routine, everyone I know things I painted that Rebel thing just to bother you, you probably killed that reporter, I haven't even started packing, and I can't even ask Nila where everything is because she's gone."

Of all the things Luke vented about, it was only the second to last bit that Vader clung to, "Pack? Where are you going?"

That question, of course, served only to annoy Luke further, and the teen stood, giving upon the possibility of meditation. "Naboo dad, I'm going on an overnight trip to Naboo for culture class. You were offworld when I told you, so Nila signed the permission form."

Ah, that explained it, for Vader knew he'd never had agreed to this trip should Luke actually have held his attention while asking. He knew he could still forbid his son from going, but that was not a fight he wanted to have. Plus, he'd signed Luke up for Naboo culture to give him a taste of his mother, and Luke could never know his mother without seeing her home.

So, he settled on the simple answer while rising himself, "I saw C-3PO putting your clothes in your closet, but if you're looking for anything black I would check my chambers. That droid never seems to follow it's housework programming correctly."

"Or maybe his creator just didn't wire a few things correctly," Luke muttered, smiling to himself. He had known for years that the Maker 3PO constantly thanked was his father, but his father did not appear to know that Luke knew. Therefore the boy could get away with lots of comments about 3PO's creator, and couldn't even be punished for them. It was a great stress release.

Plus, as much as Vader pretended to be annoyed by such comments, he wasn't really. "Just go do your work and pack, we can attempt to assess why the Force is 'ruining' your gymnastics after you return." Luke was grateful to be let out of training, as he really did have far too much to do. Just as he was about to leave his father called out, "Oh, and Luke, if you should find yourself in any of Naboo's meadows, pick some leia flowers. Your mother told me once that they were quite valuable."

Luke stared at his father for a minute, wondering where in the galaxy that information sprung from, but he had too much to do to dwell on it. He just stored the information in the back of his mind, and went to pack.

Field trips were fun, until Luke had to be at their transport ship by o-five-hundred. Utterly exhausted, he climbed into the ship and found a chair by the window where he could at least meditate. The other students had surely had a cup of caf from the way they chattered, but Vader didn't permit Luke to have it. "If you need energy, call on the Force" was his motto, and Luke had no choice but to try it.

The annoying thing about parents is how often they are right. By the time they were in hyperspace Luke had all the energy he needed, and everyone else had begun to pass out. Everyone but Leah that was, who sat with a Databook in hand like always. In four years Luke had never seen her without a book, and he honestly wondered how she had yet to run out of things to read. Luke could barely get through what he had to for class, never mind add on reading for pleasure. But then Luke didn't know everything in the galaxy, and Leah seemed to, so perhaps reading paid off.

"What is that about?"

Leah's eyes didn't flicker up as Luke moved next to her. She simply spoke while continuing to read, "Imperial trade routes through Hutt controlled territory. You'd love it, it mentions Tatooine."

Luke wondered if it also mentioned his father, recalling a certain mission report during the Clone Wars that involved a baby Hutt and a similar problem. Reading his mind as always, Leah flipped to the beginning, and showed Luke the passage.

 **"** **Such trade routes build upon those formed by the Republic during the Clone Wars. The Outer Rim was originally a bed of crime and slavery, but the work of then-Chancellor Palpatine and the once-loyal Jedi ensured that Republic ships could pass. These war-time routes eventually gave way to Imperial control throughout Hutt territory."**

Luke was always amazed by how authors could tint things in favor of the Empire. He'd seen it throughout his life, and it still amazed him. "Why do I feel like that is a vast oversimplification and the truth involved a lot more violence?"

"Because you, my friend, have a brain in your head," Leah chuckled, going back to her page. Luke didn't even know that to say to that genial acceptance of treason. Granted Leah was about as respectful to the Empire as Luke, perhaps less so, but she normally didn't make outright comments like that when there were teachers around.

But the teachers were drifting same as the students, and so Leah wasn't afraid to speak freely. Still, her ability to do so confused Luke, because he realized why she seemed so out of place. "Wait, you're not in Naboo class. Why are you here?"  
Leah stopped a timer on her chrono, "Congratulations, it took you less than an hour to figure out. I bet it will take another three before anyone else does." It was a fair bet; no one ever seemed to pay attention to Leah. She simply wasn't important enough for them, but it was their loss. Rickon and Luke were well aware of the fact that being friends with Leah meant having knowledge, and knowledge was power. Leah was probably the most powerful kid at school, even if her mother was just a maid.

"Your mom is from Naboo, right? Does it have something to do with that?" Luke probed a minute later after realizing Leah had gone back to reading without answering his question. She'd do that sometimes, refuse to answer a question before he offered the first part of the answer. It was actually something Luke's father did as well, but Luke didn't like to consider the similarities between his Sith father and friend.

Apparently he'd gotten enough right though to win her attention, because Leah actually shut the book instead of just looking away. "Ding, ding, ding. It's where both my parents are from, but because of my mom's banishment, I've never been, so the school let me come with you."

"Wait, banishment?" Luke's mind reeled over the words. Why would Leah's maid mother end up banished? And since when did Leah ever speak of her father?

The girl raised her chocolate eyebrows, and gave Luke an amused grin. "You're surprised that my mother is more than she seems after knowing me for four years?" Okay, when she said it like that… Yeah, Leah had a way of making Luke feel dumb. "Before I was born my mother worked for Naboo's senator and was banished for espionage. Actually, it was your mother she worked for."

"Oh," Luke didn't know what to say to that. Why was it that Leah always said things that left Luke with nothing to say? "Um. Sorry? Is that why your mom always gives me that look, because of what my mother did?"

Leah laughed, flipping her hair ever so gently that Luke doubted she even noticed. "Force no. She gives you that look because of your father, not your mother. No, it's really not that big a deal. She was spying on your mother and telling Palpatine everything. Where she went… who came into her apartment… what size dress Padmé was wearing…"

Luke stared. He'd known Leah for four years and the girl had never thought to mention this? "Your mother told Palpatine about my father and me, didn't she?"

"And he set her up at the palace as a live-in maid to thank her. Good thing to, because I came along seven months later and would hate to have been raised homeless."

Leah existed on a plane of reality Luke could never understand. How she could just be so chill about such insane things he would never understand. But she honestly did not care that his mother was the reason she'd almost been born homeless. It wasn't just a farce. Luke could feel the sincerity of her nonchalance in the Force. She truly didn't care. Damn if she wouldn't make a good Jedi. Talk about letting go of all emotions.

A few hours later, everyone re-awoke, and the ship grew a lot louder. Leah was onto her second book, and reading it far too intently for Luke to dare interrupt again, so he was glad when Rickon sat up, blinking his eyes. "What did I miss?"

"Your father showed up and paid the pilot to sell you to pirates when we get to Naboo."

Rickon rolled his eyes, punching Luke hard enough for it to actually hurt. Luke just laughed though, rubbing his arm because, well, he deserved it. "Naw, actually I just found out that my mom knew, and banished Leah's mom because Leah's mom told Palpatine about my mom being pregnant."

"I shouldn't be surprised, but I feel like this might be a whole new level of insane coincidences, even for you."

Luke chuckled. What was his life but a series of insane coincidences? "Tell me about it."

Rickon looked ready to, but they were interrupted by Nil walking back to where they sat. "Hey, so, um, Luke, I hate to ask because I know you do gymnastics and that season just started but this would be during school so it wouldn't interfere and..." the eternally-nervous teen broke off for a minute to catch her breath before handing Luke a pile of papers. "Well putting on a play for Empire Day, and I was hoping you'd be willing to play your father. It's sort of a tradition for people to play their parents."

Luke stared down at the papers, the script, in his lap. It appeared to be little more than a short skit, and one he vaguely remembered from years past. "I would, but I'm not actually going to be on Coruscant for Empire Day."

"Well actually it's the Friday before so…"

So it appeared Luke didn't have a viable excuse, and it actually might be fun. Still, it was probably a really bad idea. His father would probably not appreciate Luke dawning the mask for a school play. But then again his father wouldn't have to know…

"You should do it," Leah apparently wasn't as into her book as Luke had assumed, because she was eavesdropping. She looked up at Luke, a mischievous light in her eyes that assured Luke that this was a very, very, very bad decision. Whenever Leah thought someone should do something, it was usually because she was looking forward to laughing at the consequences.

Rickon knew that too, which was why he was giving Luke that look, the look that was probably what Vader referred to when saying Rickon was Luke's temperance. Still, Luke could be too tempered sometimes. What was the harm in agreeing to do a stupid skit? His father didn't need to know, and it was for the benefit of the Empire. Surely Vader couldn't argue about that?

Of course he could, but Luke convinced himself otherwise while telling Nil "sure."

The girl walked away, clearly pleased, and Rickon just rolled his eyes. "I've said it before, I'll say it again. I'm going to laugh at your funeral." Now it was Luke's turn to hit Rickon. "Hey! Anyways, what's this about not being around on Empire Day? It's like the one fun day to live on Imperial Center."

It was always so weird for Luke to hear Coruscant called by its official name, especially when Luke knew as a fact that the Emperor usually called it Coruscant. Still, Admiral Cassel was a respectful guy, and Rickon picked up a lot of his dad's quirks. Luke wasn't sure if he wanted to know whether or not he'd picked up any of his father's quirks. "I'm going to Tatooine for a week. I haven't seen my Aunt and Uncle in years, and my father agreed."

"A week? But your birthday is only two days after Empire Day. Doesn't your father want to spend that with you?"

Luke normally didn't think much about how odd his family life was, but sometimes the comments Rickon made stung. Sometimes Luke was reminded of just how many things he missed out on because of his father. It wasn't so much that Luke blamed him, because he understood, but it made the teen sad. "Well even the couple times we've both been on Coruscant for my birthday he hasn't really spent time with me… He usually spends the entire trinity of days stewing in his hatred."

"Well on the first day he killed everyone he knew, on the second his best friend left him to burn to death on Mustafar, and on the third his wife died. I wouldn't like to celebrate those days either," Leah muttered, and Luke found himself in agreement. He couldn't blame his father for hating the days, Luke did too. How could he really celebrate his birthday knowing it was also the day his mother died, the day his father killed his mother. (Okay, to be fair, Luke didn't actually know for sure what killed his mother. Both Kenobi and Palpatine blamed Vader, and he didn't deny it, but Luke didn't want to believe it. He couldn't believe it.)

"Exactly, I don't celebrate my birthday, never have, but going back to Tatooine and seeing everyone there will be a nice treat. By the Force, I wonder what Biggs knows! Last time I saw him was before I was arrested… Do you think my aunt and uncle told him the truth?"

Luke doubted it. Most likely his aunt and uncle didn't want anyone to know their relation to Vader. It wasn't exactly the kind of thing that would make them popular among moisture farmers. No, Biggs probably knew nothing, because it wasn't like he kept up with the HoloNet. Tatooine barely even had HoloNet access, which was probably good. Luke would enjoy a week as just a normal teen and not Lord Vader's son. He loved his father, but it could all be a bit much.

"Whatever, get me some souvenir sand or something."

Luke chuckled, "Oh no, my father threatened me with meditation for a month if I brought back even a speck of sand. He hates it more than he hates Jedi. I'll bring you back some broken vaporators though."

"Oh, for joy," Rickon chuckled, and the trio laughed at his horrified look. Yeah, Luke was really glad for this field trip. They hadn't even arrived on Naboo yet and it had been plenty eventful, but it was good. Yeah, it was good.

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AN: I've been rambling for a page trying to find a way to end the chapter, but yeah.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks to everyone reading. If you get a chance drop a review. I love to chat with people.

This chapter is for everyone else who woke up to a brave new world today. At least the fanfic doesn't change.

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Chapter 4

Luke's first glimpse of Theed knocked him off his feet. The city was extraordinary, with huge white domes and glistening streets. Coruscant was a pinnacle of industrial beauty, but Theed was a different kind of city. It was a city of human development and architecture. A city of light.

Seeing this place, Luke began to understand his mother. She dedicated her life to the galaxy, yes, but her heart belonged to her people, her home. No wonder she was said to have been so good. Anyone filled with the light of this place could not be dark.

Their first stop was the palace, where they were scheduled to hear a talk by former Senator Jar-Jar Binks. Luke didn't know much about the former Senator, except that he was a Gungan, and therefore the talk would probably be painful to understand. Gungans spoke Basic with an odd accent, and a whole speech of it was probably enough to drive anyone nuts.

But Luke didn't care. He was going to the palace, the royal palace, where his mother lived and worked for eight years. Surely there was no other place where Luke could better learn about his mother. She was said to have carried the crown with her even after leaving the palace; perhaps the Palace still carried her even after she left the galaxy.

The palace was beautiful, and Luke wasn't the only one in the class to walk through it with his eyes up. The domes were brilliant and bright. The walls crisp and decorated in ornate fashion. Not even the Imperial Palace was so beautiful. Palpatine's home was as dark and corrupted as the man himself.

The chaperones ushered them into the room signed "Department of Education" and Luke took a seat in the back. Former Senator Binks looked ridiculous to Luke, even by Gungan standards. His ears flopped every which way, and the rich fabrics he wore seemed ill-fitted. He was goofy looking, and didn't seem to carry himself the way senators normally did. Luke vaguely wondered if his father had liked Senator Binks, as he tended to like those who weren't traditional senators.

"Welcome Younglings. Isa so nice to meet yousa. Missa muy muy honor to greet yousa here on Naboo." The Gungan began, stopping only when a door behind him opened. A young woman, probably in her early twenties, poked her head in, and smiled upon seeing the students. Binks got very excited at the sight of her, "Isa Senator Naberrie!"

"Hello," the senator greeted, stepping into the room with a smile. She was quite beautiful, with silky brown hair pulled up in an elaborate braid. "I don't have much time, but when I heard who we had visiting I had to stop in. I know many of your parents through my work in the Senate. I wish I could stay, but I'm actually heading back to Coruscant now. I hope you all enjoy your trip," she finished before ducking out the door in the back of the room.

"Pooja is muy talent. Missa known her since she was a litta bitty girl. Missa jobbin with her Aunt Padmé."

Luke's head popped up at the words. Padmé? A former Senator who'd worked with a Padmé, probably in the senate. Binks knew his mother! And this woman… if her aunt was Padmé then…

Luke jumped to his feet, startling Rickon. "Where you going?"

All of the chaperones were properly focused on Senator Binks, so Luke whispered, "I have to talk to that Senator."

"Why in Sith Hell do you need to talk to a Senator?" Rickon asked, trying to pull Luke back to his seat before they both got in trouble.

Luke pulled away though, and stood to creep out the door before he answered, "Because I think she's my cousin!"

Rickon had nothing to say to that, and Luke slipped out the door after Senator Naberrie. She obviously walked with a purpose, because by the time Luke got into the hallway she had already gotten to the other end. "Wait!" the teen called out impulsively, the hallways echoing his voice. Senator Naberrie stopped, and Luke ran to catch up to her. "I'm sorry but I have to speak with you."

"I really have to go," Pooja told him, not sounding unkind but visibly annoyed as she began walking again. "You can make an appointment with me on Coruscant."

Luke did not want to wait the two days until he was back on Coruscant, not when he was so close. "It's about your Aunt Padmé!" he told her walking with her. If she had to get to her ship Luke would just walk with her.

But Pooja stopped at the mention of Padmé, and just looked at him. "What about my Aunt?"

She was nervous, visibly so, and Luke could understand why. His Aunt was somewhat of a legend, and yet she did not go by the name Amidala to booster her own career. Perhaps this was just a need to define herself, or perhaps Pooja was worried about the fact that Luke knew she was related to the woman whose Delegation of 2000 went on to form the Alliance. She had reasons to be nervous, but Luke sent out tendrils of calm through the Force. "Your Aunt is Padmé Amidala, right?"

"Was, she's dead, has been since before you were born. I really need to..."

"Not since before I was born," Luke cut her off, his blue eyes boring into her. He could sense she recognized him, even if only on a subconscious level. Clearly she had met his father as well. "Your Aunt died the day I was born. She…"

Luke looked at her and saw real fear not even his Force-reassurance could abate. She was late, and she was scared, and so was Luke. How could he just tell this woman he was her cousin? How do you tell someone that their Aunt was secretly married to a Jedi who'd then become a Sith? Luke didn't know, and suddenly he was scared to.

"She knew my father, Anakin Skywalker." Luke cursed himself for saying it, for not saying what he wanted to, but he just couldn't. "I'm Luke."

Pooja relaxed slightly, but still nodded tensely. "Yes, I met him a few times myself. They were good… friends. Sorry, I'm just surprised. Jedi weren't supposed to have kids and I was told your father died when the Jedi tried to overthrow the Republic."

"He did," Luke hated lying to her, but it was true in a certain sense. Plus, it was easier for her to know the lie then the truth.

Obviously, or she wouldn't have been smiling when she spoke again, "Come by my office when you get back to Coruscant, I might be able to tell you more about him. As I said, he and my Aunt were very close so I met him a few times."

Luke nodded, glad to see her leave now that he'd hidden the truth. Still, Pooja was no fool, and she'd been young when she saw Anakin with Padmé. There are few truths you can hide from younglings. She was almost to the palace doors when she stopped, understanding and fear competing for a place in her mind. "My Aunt died the day you were born?"

The teen nodded, before regretting his actions and running back to the lecture hall, hoping not to hear the Senator call after him. He got his wish, and yet Luke knew it was not over. She would be wanting to know more all because he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"Nice job Skywalker, nice job," Luke chastised himself, slipping back into the room just as everyone was splitting up into pairs to explore the Palace grounds. Rickon spotted him and they paired up immediately. Luke felt a bit bad about leaving Leah to have to find another partner, but he knew the girl wouldn't mind. Nothing bothered Leah.

"Did you talk to her?" Rickon asked as the pairs broke up to explore the city. Luke and Rickon headed out the palace doors, wandering aimlessly, as neither had listened when the suggested sights had been pointed out.

Besides, Luke was too busy thinking about the mess he'd made to really care where he was walking. "Yeah. I was going to tell her, then I didn't, and she figured it out anyways."

Rickon nodded in understanding, and was kind enough not to say 'I told you so.' Still the words weighed on Luke's mind. He'd known it probably wasn't a good idea to reveal himself to Pooja, not considering who his father had become, but he'd been impulsive. She knew his mother, and would actually talk about her. Luke just wanted to know.

Rickon and Luke explored Theed for a while longer, picking up souvenirs at this little market stall. Rickon got a Naboo ship replica, but Luke found himself picking up a little doll. She was dressed up like a queen, with elaborate makeup and headdress, but Luke still recognized the subtle differences between this queen and all the others around this. "This is Queen Amidala, right?"

The vendor nodded, smiling, "Yes. Even after all these years she's still our most popular doll. I'm sure your sister will love it."

Luke almost commented that he didn't have a sister, before deciding it was best to let the woman think that and not question why a teenage boy would want a little doll. Still, it was his mother, and a way for Luke to have her with him once he returned to Coruscant. He'd just need to hide her from his father, because he surely wouldn't stand having the reminder of his dead wife around.

"You know the anniversary of her death is coming up," the vendor chatted. "Do you go to the memorial? It gets smaller every year, but it's still beautiful."

Luke was amazed that after so long people cared enough at all to hold a memorial. His mother must truly have been loved. "No, I'm not from Naboo. I'm only here on a school trip."

"Too bad. It's quite a sight to see. Her family is well off and they always lace her grave with flowers…"

"Her grave?" Luke interrupted blinking quickly. "Wait, she wasn't burned?"

The vender shook her head, "No, Naboo tradition forbids it. She's buried behind the palace with the other former queens."

Throughout the galaxy the dead were cremated, so Luke had just always assumed his mother was as well. But no. She had a grave. He could go visit her grave. "Do you know if there is anywhere around here that sells flowers. Maybe leias?"

"Well there is a shop right outside the cemetery, but leias are very expensive. Naboo moon blossoms are just as beautiful and much cheaper. I'm sure your girlfriend will like those a lot."

Perhaps if Luke had a girlfriend, but his father had said his mother loved leias. Now Luke knew why. His father actually wanted Luke to visit his mother's grave; surely he wanted Luke to buy the flowers as well. Thanking the vender, Luke grabbed Rickon's arm and dragged him towards the cemetery, not answering his friend's questions. Once there, Luke stopped quickly, and Rickon understood.

"Your mother is buried here, isn't she?"

Luke nodded, but said nothing as he moved into the shop to find the flowers. There were none out, but he found the shop owner to ask. The owner looked surprised, wondering probably how a teen could afford the flowers, but said nothing as he went back to grab them.

"You're lucky I just got some in today. They only grow up in the lake region, and that's all private estate. Sometimes though one of the families will allow us to collect them to sell. I think these came from Varykino."

The name meant nothing to Luke. He had no idea that these flowers grew in the field by his mother's lake home. He didn't know that, in another life, he would have grown up picking these expensive flowers on a whim to give to his mother and sister. Luke didn't know the life he was missing out on as he bought the flowers and moved into the cemetery. There was no way he could.

Like all things in Theed, the cemetery was luxuriously beautiful. Huge monoliths, stone statues, and mausoleums covered the carefully maintained grounds. All the graves were covered in some sort of flower, some withered and dying, some fresh and new. A few people, tourists from the lack of mourning on their faces, wandered about, but Luke hardly noticed them. He walked down the rows aware of Rickon giving him space, and grateful for it. Especially when he finally found it.

It was one of the less fancy mausoleums actually, with few flowers. Someone had put some mountain daisies around within the past few days, and moon lilies grew on either side, but besides that it was bare. Upon tracing the name with his finger, Luke fell to the ground, tears bright in his eyes. His mother was in there, dead, decaying, cut off from him. Yet she was there. This was the closest Luke had been to his mom since he left her womb.

"Hi mom," he whispered, voice cracking. "You don't know me, but it's me, Luke. I wish… I wish I knew you. I wish you had been there, to tuck me in, to kiss my scraped knees. Even though you weren't I… I love you and I miss you. I just wish you could know. I'm with dad though, and we're a family, if an odd one. There's good in him mom, I know it. I know you knew it too even if… even if he may have been the one to ki… hurt you. I trust him, I really do. And I love him just like you did. I just wish… I wish you could know."

Luke gently placed the flowers on the grave, and as he did felt the Force's calm come over him. It felt like being wrapped in a warm hug, and Luke basked in it, imagining for a moment it was his mother.

"There is no death, there is the Force."

The voice was so whispered, so soft, that it startled Luke. He wondered for a second if he had imagined it, especially when Rickon didn't seem to notice anything, until he heard it again.

"You cannot see those whose spirit the Force has taken, but that does not mean they are not there."

Panic spiked within Luke when he realized that he recognized the voice. But that… that wasn't possible. He was dead. He'd been dead for years. "Ben?"

Luke didn't hear the old man again, but he caught a glimpse of blue from the corner of his eye. Turning quickly Luke could just make out the image of the dead Jedi before it disappeared into nothingness.

 _Great, now I'm being stalked by the ghost of my father's arch nemesis. This couldn't possibly get worse,_ Luke thought, and yet, yet Ben's words made Luke feel better. Perhaps it had been a hug from his mother Luke felt.


	5. Chapter 5

So this fic is completely written, and so you'll have 15 more days of updates and then I have two one shots and need to write the final part of the fic. Thank you to everyone still reading. If you can leave a review, it makes me actually want to write.

Thank you, and enjoy!

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Chapter 5

They returned to Coruscant early the next day, and kindly enough did not have to attend classes. Luke made his way home alone lost in his thoughts. How could Obi-Wan possibly have become a ghost? Luke didn't think there was such a thing as ghosts, and yet he could have sworn that Ben, dead Ben, was there. It simply didn't make sense.

 _No,_ the boy decided, _it didn't make sense because it wasn't real. My eyes were blurry from crying and that's that._ It was much easier to believe that it was just a figment of his imagination, or even that he was going insane, than it was to believe that after all these years he was being haunted by Ben Kenobi. (Because if all those Luke had accidentally gotten killed haunted him Luke would constantly be surrounded.)

Firm in his decision, Luke made his way home to find it empty. He was surprised, not even when he saw the note saying his father would be gone for at least a week and would see him when Luke got back from Tatooine. Still, as he cooked dinner and C-3PO dictated bedtimes and such Luke suddenly was not so sure this 'freedom' thing was much fun.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the silence that night Luke barely got any sleep. When he dragged himself into school the next day he was fifteen minutes late and looked like he'd been run over by a speeder. In fact he actually debated telling the secretary that he had been run over by a speeder, but figured that then his father would rush back to Coruscant and they'd both be in a world of trouble. So, Luke settled on the truth and won himself a detention. Of course now he'd be late for gymnastics, which would make Couch Dug angry again, so the day was just off to a brilliant start.

And he had history first period, which was always painful, but especially painful in this case because when Luke walked in the word Jedi was up on the board.

"Ah, Luke, I'm glad you made it," his teacher, Mr. Blue, greeted as Luke handed him the tardy pass. Rickon and Leah sat in the back, both offering Luke a questioning look, but since freaking Brandon was in Luke's usual seat he had to sit in the very front.

"I was just explaining how after the Sith Wars the Jedi were left unchecked," Mr. Blue explained, looking quite a bit nervous. Luke didn't blame him either. It had to be awkward teaching about Jedi, but to teach it to the son of a Sith who rumor had it was being trained as a Jedi… well that had to be very awkward.

Still, Mr. Blue charged on. "The Jedi grew in power within the Republic. Most of their deeds were good. They managed to keep the galaxy from war, keep what appeared to be a good peace, but it was really a lie. In fact the Jedi drafted laws that allowed them to take any Force-Sensitive child from his or her parents without their permission. They allowed slavery to spread in Hutt controlled outer rim territories. The sat there encouraging the Republic to squabble and fight, until about fifty years ago. The Jedi order became corrupt just as the Senate was. They began to arrange themselves to gain more power. They were ruthless in the Clone Wars, sacrificing civilians and clones without a second thought. Now during the Clone Wars there were two Jedi- Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. They were renowned throughout the galaxy for their skill in combat and negotiation. When then Chancellor Palpatine was kidnapped by Separatist leader Count Dooku, they went to retrieve him. They did, but something happened during that mission. Anakin Skywalker was very young, the greatest Jedi Knight, but inexperienced and naïve. He was loyal though, to the Republic, but more importantly to Chancellor Palpatine. The Chancellor arranged it so Skywalker would be given a seat on the Jedi High Council, and the Jedi allowed it, with the condition that Skywalker spy on the Chancellor. This troubled Skywalker, and he confessed his hidden mission to the Chancellor. Chancellor Palpatine admitted that he had suspected for some time that the Jedi sought to overthrow him and take over the Republic. Them asking Skywalker to spy was proof enough. Chancellor Palpatine asked Skywalker to return to the temple and try to find more evidence, and the loyal Jedi did so. But the Jedi were far crueler than anyone knew, and they killed Skywalker when he returned to the temple. From there the Jedi marched on the Chancellor's office, where, as you know from your earlier school years, they were defeated by the Clones and Darth Vader. The Chancellor took over as Emperor that day, and dedicated himself to eliminating the sick corruption that plagued the senate and Jedi order. Now, that's a story you all know, but what we're going to analyze today is why this happened. History tells us the Jedi Order truly was good for thousands of years, but what happened to make them turn? Now, the first evidence is actually as old as the Order- the Jedi code. Now this goes 'There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. Thee is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is nothing but the Order.' Now you can see the mindset that… Yes Luke?'

Luke barely even realized his hand had shot up, but now that he'd been called upon the teen had something to say. "You're wrong."

Mr. Blue was generally relaxed and amiable, but even he seemed angered by Luke's blunt comment. "Excuse me?"

"I mean that uh, that's not the code," Luke attempted to correct himself, face blushing red. He hadn't meant to come off as so cross but it had been a long morning. "The last line is wrong. It's "there is no death, there is the Force."

Mr. Blue rubbed his neck awardly, and turned back towards the board, away from Luke, as he spoke, "Perhaps that's how the Sith say it but the Jedi…"

"The Sith don't say the Jedi code. That would be ridiculous," Luke interrupted, unsure himself where this was coming from. Why did he care if they all thought the Jedi were horrible? They had been horrible! They forbade love; they stole Luke from his father; they would have taken control of the Republic. Why did Luke feel the need to defend them? Sure, he'd been training like a Jedi for years but all to become a Sith eventually. He was supposed to hate the Jedi, so why would he defend them?

Yet Luke couldn't help himself, and carried on despite the ire in Mr. Blue's eyes. "Besides, the last line you said makes no sense. It doesn't fit the pattern!"

It seemed like a logical argument, and the students around Luke were nodding. None of them knew either way, but they could easily see Luke Skywalker knowing more about the Jedi than Mr. Blue. After all, Luke's father was dedicated to the task of destroying all Jedi; know thy enemy, right? And if Vader knew the true code it would make sense for Luke to as well….

"That's enough Luke," Mr. Blue told the teen, thoroughly aware of the dangerous waters they had crossed into. The class could not start getting the idea that perhaps their textbook was wrong. This was the imperially ascribed Empire Week curriculum for their age group. This was what they would learn. "History tells us that that is how the code went. Now, as I was saying the philosophy behind this debated last line is apparent. The Jedi cared about nothing but themselves and their order by the end. When they saw the Clone Wars were coming to an end, when they saw that they would lose their power and have to stand trial for all their wartime actions, they panicked. The Jedi Council claimed that Chancellor Palpatine was breaking the Constitution and sought to kill him."

One of the many consequences of Luke not waking up that morning was his missed meditation time. Perhaps if the teen had taken the time to center himself in the Force as he normally did he would have had the prudence not to whisper the next comment under his breath, "Well he was breaking the Constitution. There were specific safeguards against dictatorships which he ignored or amended to suit his needs."

The real reason sitting in the front was never a good idea was how blue Mr. Blue's face was as he wrote a note and sent Luke straight towards the headmaster's office.

Mr. Raybag was in a meeting when Luke arrived at the office, and so the teen has a good half hour to sulk. He knew he was being moody and ridiculous but it was just so stupid! How could no one see that right or not what Palpatine did was illegal? Maybe the Jedi had been horrible, but they were correct. And surely Palpatine did just as many horrible things. Luke's father did numerous horrible things; it was the Sith way. Perhaps moreover it was the way of all 'civilized' life.

Knowing that the negative thoughts were no good Luke attempted to force himself into meditation, but couldn't. Perhaps the Force was as annoyed as Luke was, or perhaps he was just too distracted by the constant clicking of the chronometer on the wall.

Finally though Mr. Raybag came out of his meeting, and Luke forced himself into the man's office. As he looked around Luke's annoyance was replaced by fear. Force, he'd been so stupid. He was lucky not to be in a prison cell, never mind the office.

Luke sat down in the chair, and wondered when it had gotten so small. He hadn't been in Mr. Raybag's office since his first year, right after his true identity came out. The chair had been so big then. Now it was as if someone had shrunk it.

"So," Mr. Raybag finally began after watching Luke squirm. "Is your father onworld?"

Luke shook his head, blond locks covering his eyes as he did so. He hadn't even thought about what his father was going to say! Force he would be lucky to escape with his life. Anyone else wouldn't even have the chance of doing that. "No, sir."

Mr. Raybag nodded, seemingly unsurprised. "But you live with a nanny correct, for when he's not around?"

"Not anymore sir," Luke admitted, and this appeared to have surprised the headmaster. "She resigned a few days ago because of family needs. My father has decided I am old enough to take care of myself when he cannot be around. And I have a protocol droid that helps with the housekeeping and such."

Mr. Raybag nodded again, smiling knowingly. It bothered Luke, the way this man seemed to think he knew exactly what was going on. There was no way he could, which meant this was surely going to be an awkward conversation. "Well then. Why don't you tell me exactly what happened? All Mr. Blue wrote was that you had made some 'borderline treasonous' remarks about the Jedi."

"I wasn't trying to be disrespectful, really. But the code he was reading was wrong, and then I was annoyed and made a comment about the Emperor and… Everything I said was true!"

Mr. Raybag had the reputation of an old-fashioned stickler, but he actually looked sympathetic to Luke. Perhaps he just felt bad for the son of Vader. "Luke, something you'll understand as you age is that truth and reality might not always coincide. What you have been told is reality, what you think is truth, might not actually be the truth. Truth is a matter of context, and within this society truth is what our great Emperor says is truth. In this school we only teach truth, do you understand?"

No, Luke certainly didn't understand. Sure, he knew from literature that sometimes truth went beyond reality, but reality was never not true. You can't just pretend something didn't happen because you're being told it didn't. Luke had the odd sense that whatever truth was it was not what Mr. Raybag said it was. Yet he didn't say so. Luke held his tongue, hoping that perhaps they would forget to call his father.

"Besides, whatever you said was probably not the reality of the situation either. After all, everything we know about the Jedi we know from your father, which means you know it's true as well. Now I know it must be hard having a father of such importance and sometimes you think that if you act out- by drawing a rebel symbol or saying lies in class- you'll draw his attention but…"

Luke stood up involuntarily, staring at Mr. Raybag in shock. "Wait, you think I'm doing this to get attention? I know I shouldn't have said those things but it was just a spur of the moment mistake. I'm not trying to get my father's attention, and I did not draw those rebel symbols!"

Mr. Raybag nodded, but both the Force and his smile told Luke the man didn't believe him. "Of course, I'm just saying that it's natural to want your father's attention, especially when you are without a mother. Just next time tell him instead of your whole history class, alright?"

Luke felt sick doing so, but he nodded. Anything to get out of that office. It must have done the trick, because Mr. Raybag smiled again, and wrote out a slip. "I saw you were late this morning, so why don't we just extend your detention to an hour and I won't even tell your father."

On some level Luke knew Mr. Raybag was just worried that if Vader knew Luke was in trouble the headmaster would be the one punished, but he didn't mind. Oh, he would be in so much trouble for missing a whole hour of gymnastics, but his father wouldn't know. That was all that mattered.

Luke managed to get through the rest of the morning without incident, despite the whispered words in the hall. For the second time that week everyone was wondering if Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader's son, had somehow turned rebel. Luke tried to block it out, but the Force was really not cooperating, and so when he arrived at the stupid Empire day play practice Luke was thoroughly agitated.

To make it even worse neither Leah nor Rickon were in the show, and Brandon was to be playing the emperor. Luke actually thought that to be quite a fitting role. They were both falsely kind, and then turned in the blink of an eye.

"Okay, so we're just going to begin with a read through. Now the script isn't set in stone so if anyone has any comments or wants to tweak a line or two now is the time to do that. And we also need to figure out props. The art class is working on a set but we need lightsabers. We could use sticks or…" she trailed off, and everyone followed her gaze towards Luke.

The teen sighed, knowing full well what they wanted. Well his father was going to be offworld until long after the show was done so what was the harm. "I have a few training sabers that just sting a bit. But I'm not sure if they're legal so…"

Nil suddenly remembered that they were doing a skit where half the cast were playing outlaws, and shook her head furiously, "Right, sticks. Um, okay, so um and does anyone have like a toy Vader mask or…"

"Oh, my father didn't have a mask yet so we don't need one."

Everyone stared at Luke, and the teen wondered if they even knew Vader had ever gone without a mask. Sure, Luke had heard people say that they thought Vader wasn't human but surely Luke's humanity proved otherwise…

"So, what did he look like then?" Garoche Tarkin, the Grand Moff's eighteen year old son, finally got up the courage to ask. Everyone's eyes widened at his bravery, but Luke only laughed. They were all pretty ridiculous sometimes.

"A lot like me I guess, just taller."

Everyone laughed a bit awkwardly, and began to read the script. Luke flipped through it a bit, and was glad to find that his father didn't show up until page ten. Well, technically his father showed up on page two as the play practically began with Anakin Skywalker's death but…

Finally they made it to the point where the Jedi came to kill the Emperor, and 'Vader' made his entrance. Luke read through the lines with ease, considering there were about two, but got up out of the reading circle to show them all how to do a proper lightsaber duel. Garoche was the only one brave enough to try and go against Luke, and while he was promptly defeated it certainly was a good show.

"Yeah, we definitely need some of that. You know Garoche if you wore an alien mask you could be a Jedi in that scene and we could have a big duel between you and Luke. Luke, do you think you could teach him?" Nil asked.

Luke felt uneasy, knowing his father would not approve, but nodded slightly. "I can show him a bit. It took me years of gymnastics and training to do that, but I can show him enough to make it a good show."

Pleased with how cool it was surely going to turn out, they turned the page to where Vader was leading a raid on the Jedi temple. Suddenly Luke felt sick. He couldn't help but think back to the horrifying images Ben Kenobi showed him all those years ago…

"This is wrong," Luke whispered as 'hundreds of Jedi attack Vader and the clones'. "There weren't that many Jedi in the temple. Most of them were cut down by clones in the field. The temple was mostly just the old and the young."

One of the youngest students looked up at Luke her blue eyes watering, "It's not nice to joke! Everyone at the temple died and Darth Vader would never kill kids."

"My father will kill anyone for the Empire, as any law-abiding citizen is called to," Luke spit out, scaring the girl but too angry to notice. It had been a terrible morning, and now Luke was forced to face the truth he'd been hiding from for years. His father killed kids, and the galaxy called it a good thing. "The Empire kills kids all the time! They starve or they're casualties in a battle or they're drafted into the navy as stormtroopers and die in a tie-fighter because we're too cheap to have shielding or…"

Everyone was staring at Luke, and he realized that Mr. Raybag had just walked into the room and was looking disapprovedly at look. No words were spoken, but with a sigh Luke grabbed his things and followed the headmaster from the room. Just as he reached the doorway, Luke heard Brandon tell the others, "I don't care who his dad is. He's treasonous rebel scum."

Apparently Mr. Raybag agreed, because he didn't even say anything as he locked Luke in the office. When the door finally opened the teen was met with the sight of Admiral Cassel. "Sithspit. Am I being arrested as a rebel again?"

Admiral Cassel chuckled, but his eyes held no humor, "You wish kid. Unfortunately you're just stuck with me as an emergency contact when your father is offworld and you're being sent home for the rest of the day until someone can get in contact with your father and ask if he'd like to murder you yourself or if I should do it."

Of course it was the absolute worst thing Luke could say, but he was so incredibly fed up he couldn't help himself. "I'd suggest the Emperor. He's been wanting to for years I'm sure."


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks for reading! Also, if anyone knows any Star Wars White House AU's send them my way. President Leia Organa is my new favorite thing.

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Chapter 6

Admiral Cassel was a good guy, but he was unwaveringly patriotic. None too amused by Luke's comment he flew them both in silence. It wasn't until Luke realized that they they'd missed the turn for his apartment that either of them spoke. "You need to take B9 for my apartment."

Admiral Cassel raised a dark eyebrow at Luke, but had to quickly turn back to where they were going. "Sorry kid, but I'm not taking you home. C-3PO is a nuisance, and certainly not fit to discipline a rebellious teenager."

"I'm not being rebellious!" Why did everyone think Luke was just trying to get his father's attention? He knew that wasn't the case, so why didn't anyone else. Luke had just gotten fed up with the tales they offered at school and swept up into a cloud of negativity. If he was really trying to get his father's attention, which he was not, he'd do something like give an interview or, you know, call his Comlink. Honestly, no one seemed to understand Luke at all and it was frustrating.

Especially because all the adults seemed to think Luke was just in denial. Admiral Cassel, the coolest adult Luke knew only snorted in disbelief as he continued to navigate their way through traffic. Sighing to himself, Luke attempted to meditate, but ended up more wallowing in self-pity. Missing a practice was enough to keep you out of a meet, and Couch Dug was already mad enough at Luke as it was.

After what felt like an hour, they finally pulled up to the Imperial Center Security Center and found an empty landing pad. Luke went to grab his bag and hop out of the speeder, but Admiral Cassel caught his shirt. "Wait a minute Luke, I want to speak with you."

Luke sighed, but turned towards the Admiral. After all he'd left work to help Luke out; it wasn't fair to be rude to him. "Are you alright Luke? You seemed off on the way here. Almost… well like how your father gets?"

Luke wasn't quite sure what the Admiral meant until he remembered that to most people Vader seemed cold and… dark. He truly was only ever friendly or kind to Luke, reserving either respect of bitter disapproval for the rest of the galaxy. It was the way the Dark Side worked and if Luke was acting like him…

The teen didn't want to believe it, but he gently focused on the Force. Much to his disgust he felt the darkness pounding around him. He had been meditating after all, just in the Dark Side. Luke felt sick. He hated the feeling of the Dark Side, hated it, even if he knew it wasn't objectively evil. (Or so his father said. Everything Luke had read in the Jedi Temple begged to differ. That didn't mean Dark Side users were objectively evil-Luke knew his father could be good-but Luke knew on some level that the Dark Side of the Force itself was just… just wrong.)

And yet he also knew that someday he'd be asked to use it, focus it, for the betterment of himself and the Empire. That fact was one of the many Luke tried to ignore as he pushed away the Darkness for now and focused himself in the Light. Quickly he felt better, lighter, and offered the Admiral a small smile. "Oh, you know, I'm just really upset to be missing out on Geometry. All those shapes…"

Admiral Cassel laughed, but still looked at Luke suspiciously. "You know I'm not mad at you, right? I don't mind having to go pick you up; it's nice to get out of here sometimes. Yes, I disapprove of everything you said as we both know it's not true, but I'm not mad at you. I was fourteen once too and I know how hard it can be. You're just lucky we all know it's just talk, or I'd be locking you in a cell and not just binders."

Luke stared at the Admiral, thinking the man was kidding, but felt no deception in the Force. "Please tell me you're kidding?"

Admiral Cassel laughed again, but shook his head. With one hand on Luke's shoulder he walked them through the halls up towards his office. Luke had been here many times before, and knew the way well. He also knew all the secret Force-sensitive passageways that spies used, and where the most interesting criminals were being held. Perhaps it was for his own good that the Admiral set Luke down in the waiting room a binder connecting his hand to a chair. At least Luke still had his writing hand free to work on the school work he was missing. Once he finished that Luke attempted to meditate, figuring that sooner or later his father would hear about this little mess and Luke would need all the patience he could get. Plus his little brush with the Dark Side earlier had bothered Luke. He didn't like how close he was to the Darkness, and spent time pushing it away and inviting the Light Side in.

Luke knew that his father had hated meditation for a long time, but he loved it. It wasn't just sitting still and repeating the Code in his mind (though sometimes he did do that.) No, Luke's mind wandered, guided by the Force. It was during meditation that Luke got his best ideas and figured out the solution to his every problem. Sometimes he wondered if it was truly meditation or just thinking, but he didn't really care. He felt better afterwards and that was all that mattered.

"Oh, hello."

Luke's eyes fluttered open and he marveled at the sight. Before him was a young woman, his age probably, dressed in an ornate white gown. Her beautiful brown hair was styled equally as majestically in two large buns around her ears. She looked like a princess, and Luke wondered if, perhaps, that was what she was.

"Um, hi," Luke muttered forcing himself to blink. She'd probably be really, really concerned if he just continued to stare but she was so beautiful. She reminded Luke of the pictures he'd seen of his mother…

"I didn't expect to see someone my age here… especially not in binders. Should I be concerned? I didn't think they normally kept dangerous prisoners in the office levels."

She was making fun of Luke and he knew it, but the teen blushed red. This was certainly not the way to make a good impression on someone so beautiful and stately. "Oh, yeah, they don't. I just uh… I kind of got myself suspended from school and my father is offworld but Admiral Cassel is watching me and doesn't want me to get in any more trouble so… I'm not dangerous, I promise."

The girl chuckled at Luke, sweeping her hair back behind her shoulders. "So this is the Admiral's office? I swear I've gotten turned around a dozen times. It will probably take me an hour to get back out of here after my meeting."

"I could show you the way out!" Luke offered, his smile beaming bright. The girl laughed, and Luke realized she was staring at his hand caught in the binder. Smirking to himself Luke focused on using the Force to unlatch it, something his father taught him years ago. The girl seemed genuinely impressed and so Luke smirked. "I have a number of talents you'll find. I'm Luke by the way."

"Leia."

Ah, she truly was as radiant as the flower. "Nice to meet you. So go have your meeting with the Admiral, and I'll show you around afterwards."

Leia pursed her red lips, sizing Luke up. Finally she answered with a giggle, "I don't know. You might not be a dangerous criminal but you did get suspended from school and locked in a binder for a reason."

If Luke hadn't spent the past hour focusing on the Light Side he might have scowled, but instead the teen grinned. "Oh, that was nothing. It's not like I got in a fight or something. I just said a couple things my dad will probably kill me for saying. It was a really bad morning."

"Sounds it," Leia sympathized, and her smile lit the Force. There was just something about her. Luke couldn't quite put his finger on it, but she just seemed… special. Important even. "I should go tell Admiral Cassel that I've made it. If your father hasn't shown up and killed you before I get out perhaps I'll take you up on that offer of a tour. I'm not very familiar with any of the buildings on Coruscant yet. I haven't been here since I was a little girl, and back then I just trailed after my father…"

Luke, being the oblivious teenage boy he was, didn't catch the sadness in the way she trailed off in the end and dumbly asked, "Oh, where is your father now? Is he going to kill you for talking to me?"

"My father died when I was eleven," Leia admitted effectively killing the smile on Luke's face. Suddenly he felt not only stupid, but incredibly rude. "He, he ah broke if neck. Or they say he did .I don't… sorry, I shouldn't say things like that. The idea that a senator could be assassinated and it be covered up… it's treasonous."

"I'm suspended for treason you know. Apparently my accusations about imperial officers murdering children are ill-fitted for an Empire Day play."

It was a stupid thing to say to a stranger. Leia seemed nice, but joking about treason…that wasn't something most of the girls at Luke's school would do. (Well, Leah would, but Leah wasn't really a girl.) Yet Leia had admitted to treason first, and actually full on laughed at Luke's confession. "I don't know, I think that's a play I'd like to see. Something with the truth in it…" Leia's eyes flickered towards the cameras that watched them, and she grew visibly uneasy. "Um, not that what your play originally had wasn't true. I'm sure they were very right in suspending you for comments like that. It was very wrong."

For a second Luke got offended, then he recognized the cameras as well and felt bad. He could get Leia in real trouble for talking about stuff like that so casually. "Um, you should probably get to your meeting the Admiral is probably…"

"Waiting, yeah. I hope your father doesn't kill you Luke. I think I would really like that tour."

Luke smiled, staring at her as she went. Leia was truly the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, and Luke had been noticing things like that as of late. It wasn't like with the other beautiful girls though. Luke didn't want to get to know her; he felt as if he already did know her. Of course that was impossible but…

Luke jumped as his Comlink buzzed, and he groaned. Apparently his father had entered his day cycle and heard the news. Knowing that the longer he put it off the worst it would be Luke stepped into one of the empty offices and answered, even more concerned when it was a Holocall and not just audio.

Darth Vader stood in miniature holograph from looking ready to kill. Luke didn't need the Force to tell that his father was furious. Despite wearing a mask and having no facial expressions, it was written all over his face.

The pair stared at each other for a second before Luke sighed, "I know, I know, I'm a disrespectful idiot who dishonors you, myself, and the Empire. I just… I couldn't stand listening to all those lies! You taught me the Jedi Code, what was I supposed to do, sit there and listen to it recited wrong?"

"Yes," Vader replied coldly. "You are privileged beyond belief, especially when it comes to knowledge. You should have known better than to question your teacher. In the future I expect you not to question it when what I have told you and what your school tells you don't coincide. But, while I'm concerned about you defending the Jedi, I am more concerned by your comments about the Emperor and myself."

Luke flinched and rubbed his neck. "Yeah well it's the truth."

"It is not," Vader answered simply. He had no patience for the rest of the galaxy, but for Luke he had infinite patience. He had to or Luke would not have survived so long. It wasn't that hard to be patient with Luke anyways. He had an inferiority complex a mile long and saw that which was gray as black and white and that which was black and white in shades of gray. His father simply had to make things clear for Luke, and reassure the teen that he was important, probably the most important teen in the galaxy. "The Emperor does not wish for your death. He has always been one of your greatest supporters. In fact he heard about your words before even me and actually laughed. It appears he finds your treason amusing and wishes for you to spent Empire Day with him."

It took all of Luke's willpower not to physically groan, but when he spoke it was a whine. "But what about Tatooine!"

"I'm sorry about your trip, but I have already contacted your aunt and uncle. Even they see that honoring the Empire of the Galaxy's invitation is more important to a trip to that dust ball."

Luke wanted to cry. Not only could he not go and see his old friends and home but he'd actually have to spend time with the Emperor. Luke hated the Emperor. Whatever his father said the Sith Master did not like Luke and the teen hated him. Palpatine was a horrible person and he terrified Luke.

But it wasn't like Luke was actually being given a choice. Sure he could disobey his father and get on the transport anyways, but what good would it do? Someone would just come after Luke and then he'd have the two most powerful people in the galaxy furious with him. It would be a terrible idea. "Fine."

"Good," Vader was relieved not to have to fight with his son from across the galaxy. Surely he'd be in for an especially moody teenager when he finally returned, but it was always nice when he and Luke got through a conversation without fighting. "Now, what in the galaxy led you say that the Empire kills children?"

Of all the comments Luke had made, that was the one he knew for sure was true. He'd seen his father kill with his own eyes, and it was disturbing. "I just uh. I hear stuff you know. And on some planets the recruitment age for the Stormtrooper academy is 14 and I've knew people on Tatooine who died of starvation or thirst and I was angry so I blamed the Empire even though I know nature and the rebels are responsible but…"

The Force doesn't usually work over Holocom, but Luke and his father shared a special Force bond. Even at this distance Vader could sense things from his son he wouldn't have been able to were Luke someone else. "And you were discussing the Jedi Temple because…"

"Um, well we're talking all about the Jedi because of Empire week," Luke offered trying to avoid the topic of the play. For some reason he still wanted to be in it and knew his father would never allow that should he know the subject matter. "And then someone said that there were hundreds of Jedi there but…"

Vader cursed Kenobi one more time knowing very well that the dead Jedi master was responsible. If only Luke had never seen that tape… "We never discussed what Kenobi showed you all those years ago, did we?" It took Luke a moment, but finally the teen shook his head slowly. "Luke, what I did to those younglings was wrong, and yet it had to be done. The Sith and the Jedi are natural enemies, I swear that is why we fight so often. Those younglings were old enough to know but one thing, and that was to fight Sith. Their deaths provided a foundation of peace for the Empire, yet I regret it. Sometimes the Dark Side takes control of a person and they go too far, as I did. But I do not sanction the slaughter of innocents. We do not waste lives."

It was a vast oversimplification on Vader's part, and on some level even Luke knew it. The Emperor and Vader truly cared little for individual lives. Perhaps they had specific people they would not see dead, such as Luke, but they didn't really care if innocents died so long as the Senate didn't find out. But it was true that, since meeting Luke, Vader had begun to regret his actions of that day, and so there was enough truth for Luke to believe it.

"I know. I shouldn't have said any of those things I did but I was in a bad mood and lost control myself. I'm… I'm pretty sure I touched the Dark Side and it made everything different. I couldn't control myself and so I think I understand."

As concerned as Vader was to hear that Luke was unknowingly touching the Dark Side, he was glad to know that Luke understood. "Good, then this discussion is closed. And I think missing your trip is punishment enough. You are to stay with the Admiral until I return to Coruscant and I have already arranged for you to be back in school tomorrow without further punishment there."

"Thank you." Luke was getting off light and he knew it. Honestly anyone else would have been killed for such comments. "And I'm sorry. I'm sure it must be hard for you when you get news like this."

"Everything about you is hard on me Luke, but that can only be expected from my son. Just keep your head down and don't get in any more trouble until I return or I will not be so lenient."

Luke nodded and shut down the call, moving back towards the waiting room where he sat waiting for Leia. Okay, so perhaps showing her around the complex was exactly the sort of trouble his father had just forbidden but… well you can only expect so much from a fourteen year old boy, now can you.


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks for reading. Just a side note: If you think Luke and Leia's relationship (In canon or this) is weird or impossible, obviously you are not a twin. There is a connection there without the Force, and I cannot imagine how the Force must amplify it.

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Chapter 7

Luke was playing on his Datapad when Admiral Cassel and Leia walked out of the office. Leia smiled brightly upon seeing Luke was still there, but the Admiral was just shaking his head. Luke blushed as he followed the Admiral's gaze to the unlocked binder.

"Have you spoken with your father yet?"

Glad to have something to say, Luke nodded. "Yes. He didn't even kill me either," the teen added, which just made Leia giggle. Admiral Cassel looked between the two teens, and got a knowing smirk on his face which only made Luke blush more. "He wants me to stay with you until he returns, something about me not blowing up the planet… I hate to inconvenience you but…"

"It's no problem," Admiral Cassel reassured the teen. He'd known Luke for a long time, and liked the boy a lot. Sure Rickon got into a lot more trouble since befriending Luke, but Luke was a good kid. He was just a good kid with a Sith for a father. "I need to finish up a bit of paperwork and then we can go."

Luke nodded. "I'll just wait here then," he told the Admiral glad to watch the man disappear back into his office. Turning back to Leia he grinned, "So tour?"

As brightly as she'd been smiling before, she seemed nervous now, and her eyes kept flickering to the security cameras. Obviously she hadn't forgotten about their earlier conversation that could get them both convicted of treason. "I should get home but perhaps some other time?"

"Sure, and I'll even show you where they keep all the security footage," Luke told her, his smile turning into a grin. Leia's eyes grew wide at his suggestion, and Luke ran his fingers through his hair in the universal gesture of 'cool'. "But whenever you come back will be fine."

Apparently it was Leia's turn to blush because she grew bright red as she said, "You know, Winter won't be expecting me all that soon so perhaps we can go today. You're sure this is allowed though?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure it's not, but that's okay, after we're done no one will know," Luke admitted grinning and grabbing Leia's hand. She looked ready to pull away, but there was a sort of spark when their hands met. They both stared at each other, eyes wide, and Luke realized she'd felt it too. She had felt the Force, and probably had no idea she could.

"Come on, I'm going to show you something incredible," he promised the beautiful teen pulling her out of the offices and down the hall. A few stormtroopers patrolled, but Luke and Leia fit right in and easily got past them. Once they were alone, Luke reached into the walls with the Force and opened the door to the secret passages. His father had showed him how to do so years ago, telling Luke that they were the safest way for him to travel in any Imperial building after Luke had one too many encounters with Grand Moff Tarkin's questions. There were passages for Force-Sensitives in every building built since the formation of the Empire, and Luke often took advantage of them. Sure, every time he went through them there was the chance he'd run into an Emperor's Hand or an Inquisitor, but usually they were empty. Surely he'd be fine showing Leia through them.

And the awe on her face was certainly worth it. What could Luke say? He liked impressing her. "How did you do that?"

"It's a little trick I picked up from my father. There are a lot of things you know when you live in Imperial City," Luke told her, attempting to sound mysterious, but actually sounding a little bit ridiculous as his voice cracked halfway through the second sentence. Leia laughed at him, and Luke was glad the darkness of the passages hid most of his blush. "Come on, the cameras are this way. Oh, and don't worry about what you say while we're back here. This is how all of Palpatine's spies come and go, so there are no cameras."

Leia nodded, and followed Luke through the dark passages. Once or twice she'd hear something that sounded vaguely like footsteps, but the voices bothered her the most. Leia could hear everything that was being said in the offices and halls behind the door, she could even usually see who was speaking, and yet they all seemed oblivious to her and Luke's presence. Sure she'd known the Emperor had spies but for them to be able to do this… it was making Leia paranoid.

And then there was Luke himself. She knew almost nothing about him, and yet was trusting him explicitly. For all she knew he was one of Palpatine's spies, sent to test her loyalty. Maybe her earlier confession was enough poof for the evil Emperor that Leia was a rebel and Luke was leading her to her death. Sure Luke seemed to be only her age, but she wouldn't put it past the Emperor to have teenagers working as assassins and spies. It would explain why he seemed so friendly with the Admiral, and how he could use these odd passageways.

But she trusted him. Despite all paranoia and logic telling her that trusting some Imp's son wasn't a good idea whether or not he meant to be a spy, Leia did trust him. Every time she looked at him there was just this sort of spark and then when their hands met… It wasn't like that with other boys she liked. Leia was actually pretty sure she didn't like Luke. Sure he was cute but not that sort of cute. Actually, he reminded Leia of how a little brother was supposed to be, even if he was probably older than her and certainly not her brother…

"Here, I want to show you how to open these passages… in case you ever need a quick escape or just to be left alone, you know?" Luke called to her, jutting Leia from her thoughts.

Luke secretly was terrified he was about to look stupid because she wouldn't be able to do it, but he had a strong feeling that Leia had some Force-Sensitivity. From his readings Luke knew that the Force often worked a bit differently among girls, but he just had this feeling, almost as if the Force itself was telling Luke she had it. "I want you to put your hand on the wall and imagine the lock within."

Leia did so, but found it impossible. "How can I know what type of lock it is?"

"Just imagine, trust your instinct and pick whichever lock feels right, okay?" He gave her a moment to find the lock before continuing. "Now imagine it opening."

"This is ridiculous, how could picturing an imaginary lock opening open a real lock?"

Luke almost said 'the Force', but realized dropping that burden on Leia would probably not be very kind. "These locks work on mental energy," he told her and it wasn't exactly a lie. The Force was a form of mental energy, sort of. "So if you imagine and believe it will work it will."

Leia continued to scowl, until suddenly she stopped. Luke could see the moment where she felt the Force around her, connecting her to the lock. As soon as she focused that energy the door opened, and she beamed. "That's amazing. I didn't know they made locks that worked like that. They only keep out people who don't know they're there and how they work, but let through everyone who knows. That's pretty smart."

Luke would have to admit to the whole Force thing if he corrected her, so he just nodded. Inside though he was reeling. He couldn't believe Leia was Force-Sensitive. So often those with the ability found themselves recruited by the Hands or the Inquisitors, and yet Leia was smack dab in the center of the Empire and flying completely beneath the radar. It was incredible. "Come on, we're not that far from the…" Luke cut off as one of the passageways besides them opened.

Once again Luke grabbed Leia's hand, placing himself between Leia and the new arrival. He was terrified that it was some Inquisitor coming to take Leia now that she'd proven her skills, but was slightly relieved when he saw a very human looking face. Only slightly relieved though because that face was lined with flaming red hair and a very disapproving gaze.

"Skywalker."

"Jade."

"I thought your father was offworld. What are you doing here?"

Whatever her words said, Luke could feel her staring at Leia. Mustering up all the famous Skywalker courage he stared Mara Jade right in the eyes and said, "I'll tell you if you tell me."

Her eyes grew tight, but, unable to break through Luke's superior shielding, she carried on her way letting Luke and Leia go theirs. Once she was gone Luke let out a huge sigh of relief, and Leia whispered, "Who was that?"

"I probably shouldn't tell you but… Her name, or at least one of her many names, is Mara Jade. She works as a spy for the Emperor, or I think she does. One doesn't get many answers from the likes of her."

Leia had gotten that, but it was still odd. "She looks younger than us! What is she, 12?"

"Or 13 probably. Look, this is the Empire, nothing and no one is ever what they seems. We're going to delete security footage because we were both stupid enough to admit that in public."

Luke's words were more treasonous than anything else he'd said that day, but they made Leia relax. She honestly believed that Luke was just one of the few on Coruscant who saw what the world really was. It was too bad his parents were Imperials though. He'd make a good Rebel… Well maybe someday he still could be. Many members of Leia's Rebel Alliance were from Imperial homes.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have questioned you, but it scares me. I thought I knew what I was getting at here on Coruscant but then I find out that there are little girls spying on me through walls and I…"

Luke smirked a bit, opening the door that led them to where all the footage was stored. "Welcome to the Galactic Empire. Come on I don't want to still be back here when Jade does some research and figures out that you should not have been allowed back there."

"Are you going to be in trouble?" Leia asked climbing out of the walls behind Luke. She didn't get a reply right away, probably because Luke was busy talking to three stormtroopers who were probably guarding the footage. She couldn't hear much at all, at least not until Luke raised his voice.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T LEAVE YOUR POST BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY LOST A PRINCESS?" Whatever response the guards came up with must not have been good enough for Luke because he continued, "WELL I'D SUGGEST GOING OUT AND LOOKING FOR HER INSTEAD OF STARING AT SOME COMPUTER SCREENS IF SHE DISAPPEARED FROM SOMEWHERE ON THE 6TH FLOOR!"

Luke said something else Leia couldn't hear, though she thought she heard the word 'father'. Whatever the case the three troopers disappeared from the room and Leia came out from behind the shelves that hid the passage doorway.

"So you're a princess? That's cool," Luke told her grinning as he sat down and tried to find the proper footage to delete. He needed an access code password to get in, but figured his father probably had access and entered his father's details- a long complex access code, and then "LukeAmidala" as the password. (His father was nothing if not predictable.) "You know my mother was a queen, so that kind of makes me a prince, but it was an elected position so not really."

"No I guess that wouldn't count, would it?" Leia admitted shaking her head. She should have known Luke would figure out which princess the stormtroopers had lost. "Yeah, my mother is Queen of Alderaan and I'm their princess. That's why I was talking to the Admiral. My mother is visiting in a few weeks and I need to figure out matters of security. I'm not really a target; no one knows me. My mother on the other hand has been a target of rebel attacks before." Of course she was targeted on purpose to make it seem like Alderaan had reason to hate the Rebels, but Leia couldn't exactly tell Luke that.

She didn't need to though, because Luke seemed to believe the story. Not that he was paying all that much attention to her. He was going through and deleting the footage of their first conversation and then something else… it looked like Luke talking to a Holo but Leia wasn't close enough to see who, probably his father.

"We're good, though once I show you back to the upper levels we shouldn't be seem together again. Just in case we can't hold our tongues."

Leia nodded, and opened the door that led them back into the tunnels. She couldn't figure out why Luke stared at her as she did, but she took it as an opportunity to ask her own question. "So this father that almost killed you for treason but decided against it… I'm assuming he's important, but I don't recognize the name Skywalker."

"It was my mother's name," Luke rubbed his neck anxiously as he tried to brush the question aside. He liked Leia, a lot, and mostly because she was unafraid to speak her mind about the Empire. Surely that would change if she knew who Luke really was. Most people didn't understand that A- Luke could keep things from his father, and B- that the Emperor, not Vader, was the true evil. "But yeah, my father is pretty high up in the military. High enough up that all the Stormtroopers are convinced I can have them transferred to mall security or something if they disappoint me."

That narrowed down the list a lot for Leia, but in a way it narrowed it too much. Luke just didn't seem like the son of a Moff, which meant there had to be someone Leia was forgetting, and he didn't seem ready to tell her. She couldn't blame him either, not when she wasn't admitting to things like why she was on Coruscant.

Both more anxious about saying something they shouldn't, they made their way back through the passages in silence. When Luke finally told her this would be a good place for her to get out Leia wondered if she would regret not learning more about Luke. "I hope I get to see you again Luke."

"You too Leia. Stay safe, and if you ever need to use these passages and you run into someone back here just tell them it's none of their business who you are but that your ability to be back here proves you have the right to be, okay?"

Leia nodded, though Luke could tell his words didn't make much sense to her. Still, as she disappeared back into the normal hallways Luke knew he was glad to have met Leia. She was certainly something, even if Luke couldn't quite come up with the right word for his feelings.


	8. Chapter 8

Shameless plug- Go check out my one shot series called "White House". It's fun.

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Chapter 8

"Oh good you're back," Nil cried, running towards Luke first thing the next morning. "We're all getting dismissed from second period so we can do a run through before the assembly… you have memorized your lines right?" Luke stared at her, blinking, and the over-excited teen literally huffed in annoyance. "The play Luke, the play!"

"You mean I'm still doing that?" Luke had imagined that they would have found someone else to play his father after the whole fiasco at practice yesterday. Yet apparently Nil expected him to go on despite having missed the majority of the only practice.

"Of course! I mean the things you said yesterday were pretty horrible but we all know you were just taking the joke too far and… well it is a tradition to have kids play their parents and no one else wanted to play Vader in case he came to the assembly since parents are invited and…"

Ah, so there was the real truth. "Yeah, I can look over the lines. But what about costumes and props? Did you really get them all together yesterday?"

Nil nodded, and Luke found himself impressed with the girl. Sure, she could be pretty insufferable at times, but she was certainly an effective worker. Maybe he should try to partner up with her for class projects sometime…

"So who is this girl Jade saw you with yesterday?" Leah asked coming up behind Luke and grabbing his shoulder. Rickon gave Leah an odd look, probably wondering what on earth she was talking about, but Luke just blushed.

"How did you even know about that? How do you even know her?" One would think that after four years Luke would be used to Leah knowing, well, everything, but this meant she was spying on spies. She could get herself killed if Jade found out.

But Leah didn't seem concerned. She shrugged casually and said, "She lives in the palace. I live in the palace. It's not that big of a place." Well that wasn't true. The palace was about the size of Anchorhead. "Who was she? Jade seemed pretty pissed that she didn't know."

"Her name is Leia, she's the princess from Alderaan," Luke told her shrugging as if somehow that would make it seem like no big deal. But it was a big deal and both Leah and Rickon knew it. Luke never hung out with any girl besides Leah outside of school. Actually, he didn't hang out with even Leah outside of school. If Luke was talking to some girl…

"I was with you all night? How did I miss a Princess?" Rickon asked sounding legitimately hurt. He'd mentioned before how cool it would be to date royalty, but Luke didn't want to tell Rickon that he probably wasn't Leia's type.

"She was at the Complex talking to your dad. I showed her around a little bit and we ran into Jade while I was doing so. It was really no big deal."

Rickon and Leah's expressions begged to differ. "Okay, but who is this Jade? How do both of you know her but not me?"

"Mara Jade, little brat with flaming red hair and a temper to match it. She's one of the Emperor's pet spies. If you ever see her run," Leah explained as the bell rung for them to head off to math class.

The three of them begun walking on their way, but Rickon was still very hyper. No one could blame him; he had just realized what Luke had known forever-Leah was not all she seemed. "And she just lives in the Palace like you do? And one of? Does the Emperor have lots of spies? Are they all pretty."

Leah laughed, "I never said she was pretty."

"She's pretty pretty," Luke admitted. Sure Mara terrified him and he had been forbidden from speaking to her by his father, but that didn't make Mara any less attractive. She was a bit young for Luke at the moment, but she was pretty.

Leah didn't find it amusing, however, that Luke thought so. Rolling her eyes she muttered some curse that Luke was pretty sure could get her expelled. He didn't get a chance to ask her about it though because they had arrived at class and been forced to take their seats.

During second period Luke made his way towards the auditorium where the other students involved in the play were gathered. They all stared at him for a moment, but went back to trying to pull together the skit on such short notice.

"Hey Luke, do you think we still have enough time for you to show me how to do a fun lightsaber fight?"

Luke groaned, having forgotten completely about his promise, but nodded. Nil had gotten a bunch of lightsaber toys for them all to use, and so Luke grabbed a red one and tossed a blue to Garoche. The older teen was pretty strong and athletic, which helped, but Luke quite literally danced circles around him. In the end though they figured out a fight scene that was way more epic than anything else in the show and called it a day.

"So I couldn't help but wonder," Garoche asked as the two of them broke for water. "Did your father really not always have a mask? My father said he needs it to breathe but I figured he was born with a defect."

Luke very much didn't want to talk about it, but resigned himself to the question. So long as he could hold his tongue it couldn't hurt to tell the truth. In fact the story was just the type of story the Empire liked to propagate. "Yeah. There was the Jedi master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the two of them fought on the planet Mustafar shortly after the rise of the republic. Mustafar is all lava and my father was burned. That's why he wears the suit."

"Wow, that sucks," Garoche declared after a moment of silence. "The Jedi were really horrible weren't they. This Kenobi guy sounds like a jerk."

Luke looked around, half expecting to see the ghost there berating him, but there was no sign of Kenobi. "He and my father were old enemies I guess. It's complicated. In the end though my father killed Kenobi so I guess he got his revenge."

"Yeah, I think I remember hearing about him actually. But that was only a few years ago right? Right about the time that you…" Garoche trailed off, making one too many connections and getting very uncomfortable. Without another word the older teen got up and went back to the rest of the group leaving Luke alone to curse his loose tongue. No wonder he was always getting in so much trouble!

In the end Nil had decided that fact or not Luke needed to wear a mask for the audience to know who he was. It was odd for Luke as he pulled on the suit and mask. Within minutes he, a boy from the desert, was burning hot, and it was basically impossible to see properly. And why was everything red? Was this actually how his father saw? Had Vader really gone without color for almost fifteen years? Did he really not even know what Luke looked like?

It was a sobering thought, and Luke resolved to be nicer to his father. He had only been injured because he was trying to save Luke's mother from dying during Luke's birth. Kenobi was the one who left him to die, but Luke was the reason his father had been without color for so long. It made him feel pretty terrible.

The really odd thing about the costume was that it came with a voice modulator and everything. When Luke spoke he sounded just like his father. Actually, he seemed to be his father in the suit, minus over a foot of height.

"You almost look loyal in that suite, rebel scum."

Luke found moving to be a bit difficult in the costume, and so it took him a minute to turn and face Brandon. Once he did turn it took all of Luke's willpower not to laugh. Brandon looked ridiculous dressed as the Emperor, but not nearly ugly enough. (Which was a shame.) No, he just looked like a child playing dress up which, in a very real sense, he was.

"Is this really the best the Alliance can do? A scrawny kid defending them? It's pitiful."

"I'm sorry the Rebels killed your father Brandon, really," Luke told the bully calling on the Force to help him have patience. "But they have hurt people I care about too. And I don't care if you think I'm a rebel, I'm not. I'm actually in line for the throne, so perhaps you should think before agitating me."

Brandon laughed, but looked visibly nervous. "As if anyone would ever let you on the throne. They'd have to be out of their mind."

"Careful," Luke warned Brandon. Obviously Brandon was too obsessed with his hatred of Luke to realize who was being an idiot this time. "Calling the Emperor of the galaxy crazy is treason. Which one of us would be the Rebel then?"

Brandon's eyes filled with panicked fury, and he looked ready to either cry or punch Luke in the face. Unfortunately for him, he went with the second option. Sighing to himself Luke grabbed Brandon's hand mid punch and pulled it out at an awkward angle. "You will never come near me again, or I will tell my father and then you'll get to see how a lightsaber works up close and personal."

Brandon at this point did start to cry, and Luke let him go. As Brandon ran away everyone stared at them until Garoche finally laughed. "Sith's Hell Luke that was terrifying, but I think I'm glad someone finally put that dork in his place."

Everyone else laughed awkwardly, but Luke noticed everyone giving him a wide birth of space. He tried to brush it off, but it hurt to know they were all scared of him. It seemed that even when he kept his temper people still seemed bothered by Luke. He literally could not win.

Luckily Luke didn't have much time to think on it because places were called and the assembly began. On the other side of the curtain Mr. Raybag welcomes the students and their esteemed family members, and Luke suddenly felt nervous. What if he messed up? What if he didn't mess up and everyone was terrified by his lightsaber duel? What if one of the esteemed family members gathered told Luke's father…

"Fifteen years ago the galaxy was engaged in a great war," Nil began narrating, and Luke attempted to push away his fear. Fear was not the way of the Jedi, and even if he was dressed as a Sith Luke was a Jedi.

When it was Luke's turn to enter and 'defend the Emperor', he walked onto the stage with the focus of a Jedi master. He was completely oblivious to every member of the audience as he and Garoche fought. Completely oblivious of everything but the Force and their fight until he heard Garoche yell, "I, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, will destroy you Vader. And your family!"

The lines were improvised, and Luke could hear the cast and the audience get uncomfortable with them. Luke himself was furious at Garoche for making such a comment, and found himself going out of their choreography. Pushing off with the Force Luke jumped and spun over Garoche, "stabbing" him in the back. Garoche fell and the crowd cheered, but Luke was oblivious. All he knew was that there was one person in the audience not clapping. One person in the audience that was furious. One person that was not supposed to be there- his Father.

Luke kept going, knowing he'd be in so much trouble for ruining the play, but his heart was no longer in it. All that was going on in his head was how furious his father was. Luke could feel the Sith's fury radiating through the Force. Luke hadn't seen his father this angry since he'd fought and killed the real Obi-Wan.

Perhaps that was why Luke lingered after the end of the performance. Everyone else changed quickly and went out to be with their families, but not Luke. No, he lingered back stage, and quite possibly would have stayed there until his death had he not felt his father calling to him through their training bond. The message was quite clear-the longer we wait to talk about this the more trouble you'll be in.

Luckily the other families had gone on to the reception, so the only person left in the auditorium was Luke's father. He looked pretty ridiculous in the school, as he generally looked ridiculous anywhere but the bridge of a ship. His mask hid his face as always, but Luke was pretty sure even a non-Force-Sensitive could feel the sheer fury radiating from his father.

"Imagine my surprise when I come back from my mission early and find an invitation from your principle to a play about my life," Vader began his voice sounding even more intimidating than normal. "Are you attempting to get me to kill you because it certainly seems as if you are."

"The Kenobi line wasn't in the script I swear!" Luke cried out, looking even smaller than he was beneath his father's gaze. "He just figured it out! And I was going to ask you about the play but then you had gone on a mission and I had been suspended and it just slipped my mind and I figured you'd say yes anyways so... I didn't even want to do it but everyone was saying I had to because of some stupid tradition."

Vader raised his hand, and Luke thought for a second he was going to get Force choked. He realized, however, that his father was just trying to quiet him. Vader had not missed his son's fear, however, and attempted to keep his calm so not as to provoke Luke more. If there was one thing he'd learned in his years of parenting it was that Luke was never more irrational then when he was scared. "Please, enlighten me on what possessed you to think I would say yes to you dressing up as me for a stupid Empire Day play!"

"Because you love the Empire?"

Vader practically growled, and probably would have broken a finger from clenching it too hard if his fingers weren't all metal. "You knew I would not approve and so you did not tell me. Admit it."

"Fine! Fine! I knew you'd kill me if I told you but I didn't want to upset anyone at school by not doing it and I thought it would be fun. And it was fun! It was so much fun to be able to show everyone what I can do instead of everyone just assuming all I did was go around and kill people like you!"

It was Vader's breaking point, and for a fleeting second Luke couldn't breathe. He clawed at his throat desperately, and Vader released him, but the damage was already done. Luke ran away crying, and his father had just received confirmation that he was the most unfit father in the galaxy.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Vader was concerned he'd never see his son again, but Luke came home that very night. He apologized with a real honest 'I'm sorry', but Luke ignored him. The teen, who looked like he'd been crying for hours, simply ignored his father, replicated some dinner, and locked himself in his room with R2 and 3PO for company. Figuring Luke simply needed time Vader retreated to his own room for some meditation, and actually found himself falling asleep.

In his sleep Vader was plagued by nightmares. At first he just relived the events of the day, watching as time and time again he choked his own son. The dream progressed though. Vader saw himself choking Padmé, killing Padmé with the same choke he'd done to Luke. And then there was his mother, dying of her wounds, just glad to see her son but totally unaware of what a monster he truly was.

When Vader awoke the few organic pieces of him were sweating. He reached out through the Force to reassure himself that Luke was, in fact, still in his room. For a fleeting moment he couldn't feel Luke, but then he caught the presence of his sleeping son. Luke appeared to be having nightmares as well, and Vader could only imagine of what, but at least he was still alive. That was more than Padmé had been after what Vader had done to her…

Vader did not go back to sleep that night, and so he sat at the kitchen table doing paperwork when Luke wandered out to get breakfast. It appeared their relationship was already healing as Luke even managed to speak to his father this time. "I'm going over Rickon's house."

Sure, Luke was giving orders and not asking permission, but at least he was speaking to his father. That was improvement. "Very well. The Emperor has told me that I am not allowed to get out of the Empire Day celebrations again, so I shall be here catching up on paperwork and reports."

Apparently Vader was vastly overestimating the state of their relationship, because the next words out of Luke's mouth cut deep, "I wish you weren't here. Maybe then mom would be."

Vader had never forgiven himself for what he did with Padmé. He knew he had killed her, even if she must have lived long enough to give birth to Luke. His actions had undoubtedly caused her death. She'd been dead from the moment she walked into Watto's shop. He'd told her he was a person, but he'd been wrong. He was no person; he was just a demon set forth to destroy the angels of the galaxy. Angels like Padmé, and Luke

What would she say if she knew how terribly he'd messed up this time? Surely she would hate him as Luke obviously did. It was the only reasonable response. And yet Padmé had been so forgiving, so kind. She probably wouldn't hate him for what he'd done, and that only made it worse.

Luke knew his words to his father were unfair, but he couldn't help himself. His father, his _father_ , had choked him. He hated Luke that much, saw Luke as that much of a nuisance, that he'd wanted him dead, even if it was only half a second. Rickon had warned Luke not to do the play and then he'd done it, Sith's hells he enjoyed it, and look how that ended. Luke felt like an utter failure. He was supposed to be making his father better, but instead he'd pushed his father to the point of murder. He was a terrible son.

When he left the apartment Luke had planned on going to Rickon's, but his feet instead carried him to the Jedi Temple. A part of him screamed that it was a bad idea, that if Vader found out he'd just be even more angry, but Luke walked in anyways. Maybe there was something in there, some clue as to how to be a better son.

Lightsaber wounds cauterized immediately. There had been no blood fifteen years ago when the Jedi were massacred, and there was none fifteen years later. _Fifteen years ago tomorrow. Fifteen years ago today the Jedi were just going about their lives as normal, probably even celebrating because it seemed the war was over. They had no idea they only had a day left to live._

It was a sobering thought, and made Luke want to run back to his apartment and forgive his father. But it was just so hard. How do you forgive someone who wanted you dead? How do you forgive yourself when you drive someone to that point?

"Do you ever wish we'd made it away that day? Or that I'd caught up to you before your father did?"

Luke wasn't surprised by ghost Obi-Wan's appearance, and for once he wasn't bothered all that much. It was nice to be there with someone else who understood what it meant to be attacked by someone you loved. "No. Not really. The only thing I ever wanted was a father. I just never expected it would be this difficult."

"Your father was always difficult," Obi-Wan laughed, his eyes alight with the ghosts of the past. "When he was a young boy he hated to be stuck inside training. I'd often have to search the whole city just to find him helping to serve food in a soup kitchen. All padawan training had a component of service, and I'd say he thrived in that as much as he did in the physical aspects. Anakin always had a good heart. I only wonder what happened…"

Luke knew. Luke had always known. "He had too good a heart. He tried to save my mother, save me, save the galaxy, but Palpatine lied to him. He didn't realize what he'd done until it was too late and now he just tries to bring order to the galaxy however he can."

"Through violence? You do not create light by turning off a lamp," Obi-Wan saw Luke's face grow annoyed, and knew he had to change the subject. Luke was still too young. Even now when he was angry at his father he still loved him too much to see he could be wrong. "It does not matter. What matters is how you decide to respond to him. Will you let your fear and hate fester? Let it turn you to the Dark Side? You have to spend the whole day tomorrow with the Emperor, do you think you should go into that weak? If you do he will turn you and you will destroy your father. As angry as you are now do you want to kill your father?"

Luke looked horrified, with a special brand of indignation he inherited from his mother, not his father. "Of course not!"

"Then you must forgive. If you are truly a Jedi you will always choose the path of forgiveness, remember that."

Obi-Wan disappeared, and left Luke with his thoughts. The teen knew he had to forgive his father, he'd even planned on it, but that didn't make doing so any easier. Especially not when he still blamed his loose tongue for provoking his father…

The Jedi Temple was huge, and Luke still hadn't explored it all. As he wandered through the Temple he found a wing of what appeared to be bedrooms. It was creepy considering many of the rooms had clothes lying on the floor, and one even had food rotting inside. The Jedi had really had no idea they were all about to die… And yet they were dying for being willing to fight against the peace and security of the Empire. It was so confusing.

Somehow Luke knew it when he reached what had been his father's room. There was just something about it that screamed Skywalker, and he couldn't help but wander inside.

The bed was perfectly made, probably because it was never slept in. Luke's father would have gone to his mother's apartment whenever on Coruscant. This room was just for show.

But even then it looked surprisingly like Luke's room. Droid parts sat on a table half finished. Robes, all in shades unbefitting of a Jedi were stuffed into dressers. There was nothing obviously personal, and none of it was really his. Jedi were supposed to have no possessions.

But they also were supposed to have no attachments, and Anakin had failed terribly there. That was why Luke wasn't surprised when he found stuffed beneath his father's mattress a series of letters.

It was amazing for Luke, to be able to see his parents' love for the first time. The letters were all from his mother, all to her 'dearest Ani'. She'd been lonely, very lonely during the war. She wanted her husband home. She wanted to do things that Luke didn't want to think of his parents doing. Yet, in this beautiful handwriting Luke saw pure unadulterated love, and Luke wished for the millionth time that he'd known his mother. Not at the expense of his father, not like he'd said, but he wished he had them both.

Luke was about to set the letters away, afraid of destroying them if he tried to take them, when he noticed a letter in different handwriting. Where his mother's was large and loopy, this was much more of a messy scrawl, and Luke realized it was his father before the suit.

 _My daughter (or son, Padmé thinks you're a boy but I disagree),_

 _You lie in your mother next to me, and I wish none of us ever had to move. Why can't the galaxy just stay this still forever? Tomorrow I have to report to the council about Dooku. I will admit to you what I cannot tell them- he was weaponless when I killed him. The Chancellor urged me to take his life, to avenge all those who have died in this war, and I did. There is a darkness in me that I know you won't inherit. You will be good, just like your mother. You'll be like her in all things I'm sure. If the only thing you get from me is a love for flying I could not be happier._

 _I am sorry that you have to be born into this life. A life where no one can know who your father is or what he does. I'd give up my place in the Order to be with you and your mother, but then she'd lose her seat on the Senate, and I cannot do that to her or the galaxy._

 _But this means I'll probably be sent away a lot. It pains me to know that you might grow up without me being there to see it, but I promise you that even if I'm not there to say it I'm proud of you and I love you. And every night I will write you a letter like I write your mom and when I can't be there in person you can at least have my words._

 _When your mother told me she was pregnant it was the happiest moment of my life so far, but I know with you I'll have even happier moments. I'm sure there will be times when I want to strangle you, as I know Obi-Wan did me, but I will always love and protect you. I never had a real father, but you will, even if I die tomorrow and all you ever have of me is this letter._

 _I love you my angel,_

 _Dad_

Tears pressed hard against Luke's cheeks, and he tried to wipe them away. For the first time it crossed his mind that the father he had raising him was not the father he would have had. Palpatine took that father from him, and Luke couldn't forgive that.

But he could forgive his father because this father was in his father somewhere. His father truly loved him and was proud of him. His father might react more harshly than this father would have, but it was the same love. Luke knew it.

Carefully he folded up his mother's letters and slid them back into their place, but he kept his father's letter close to his chest. This letter belonged to him. All those unwritten letters belonged to him. He hadn't gotten this father, but he'd gotten his father, and nothing could change that.

Luke lingered outside the doorway for a minute upon returning home, but finally he pushed the door open. His father was sitting there crouched over some reports, and Luke realized the two handwritings weren't even that different, not significantly. He had only one father and that father had promised to always love him. He didn't want to kill Luke because he loved Luke, it had just been the first reaction of a Sith.

"I'm sorry for wishing you had died," Luke finally admitted causing his father to look up. Luke wondered if his father was crying, or even could cry beneath his mask. Because of Obi-Wan Luke would never know. "I didn't mean it, just like I know you didn't mean to try and kill me."

"I would never kill you Luke. I know that is a fear you've struggled with, but I will always stop. I should have stopped sooner but…"

"It's okay," Luke told him and he actually meant it. "I know that's just the way you are. I don't like it but it's you, and I love you. And I know you love me, even if doing so makes you a bad Sith."

Vader couldn't get the words out, and hated himselg for it, but he nodded. He was glad Luke knew how he felt.

"Do you promise not to get angry again if I tell you something?"

Vader certainly didn't like the sound of that, but he knew he wouldn't try to choke Luke again. He'd never make that mistake again; he swore it to himself. "I will try to control my temper."

"I… I've been going to the Jedi Temple on weekends." Luke cringed, waiting for his father's fury, but found none. "You're not mad?"

Vader shook his head, but walked over to place a hand on his son's shoulder. "I was furious when I found out, but I've known for some time. You couldn't possibly believe the Emperor left that wealth of knowledge unsecured. You've been setting off sensors for months."

"Oh." Luke felt a bit stupid for not having realized that his father would know. He'd just assumed he was being super casual about it and no one would ever know. Of course that wouldn't be the case; this was Imperial City. Some spy had probably followed Luke there a time or two and the teen didn't even notice. "Well I went there today and I actually, well I found your room. There wasn't much in there but there was…"

"The letter." Vader had never considered the possibility of his son stumbling upon the letter during one of his visits, but now he was glad that the Force had arranged it. Now he knew why Luke could forgive his father. "Come here, I want to show you something."

Luke had no idea what to expect as he followed his father deeper into the apartment. They stopped outside the bedroom doors and Luke thought for a second he was actually going to be allowed in his father's room, but then his father surprised him even more. He turned to the left and opened the door to the other bedroom, the one Luke had always believed held some sort of dangerous chemicals used for torturing.

It looked like any other bedroom in the house, except it was much more feminine. Suddenly Luke realized this was the master bedroom, the bedroom his parents had lived in before he was born. Before his mother died.

The closet still held all her ornate gowns, and Luke couldn't help but trail his fingers along the jewels. He'd seen some of these dresses in pictures of his mother, but he never imagined that they still sat gathering dust a room over.

Luke's father had gone over to the bed, and, after touching it in an oddly gentle way, crouched down and pulled out a box from beneath the bed. He held the box for a second, before handing it over to Luke.

Luke lifted the lid and found hundreds of pages filling the box. He didn't even need to pull one out to know what they were. Almost-15 year old boy or not Luke felt tears brimming in his eyes once again. "You actually did it. You actually wrote the letters."

"For a while," he admitted, moving from the room as if it hurt him too much. (It probably did.) "I stopped on your first birthday. They're not very pleasant, I was under the impression I had killed you after all, but they do belong to you and you're welcome to read them. They're all addressed to a girl as well. I should have known a mother's intuition was greater than what I thought the Force was saying."

Luke could hardly believe it. Even after turning to the Dark Side his father had still written him letters for a year. He'd kept his promise for a year before giving into the despair. Luke simply couldn't help himself, he hugged his father.

His father quickly pushed him away, but as Luke ran off to his room to start reading the hundreds of letters, Luke was pretty sure his father had a smile on beneath that dark mask.

* * *

AN: Yes, I am aware I am a ball of fluff. It is so cheesy but I love it.


	10. Chapter 10

So did someone ask for a really super long chapter? You did? Good.

* * *

Chapter 10

Luke was smiling when he fell asleep in a mess of his father's letters, but he was certainly not smiling when his alarm went off. He groaned and went to snooze it, but didn't mange to before his father called out, "Do you really want to face the Emperor without meditating first?"

Luke groaned loud enough for his father to hear, but swung out of bed. The one advantage of his Tatooine trip being cancelled was that he could take a real shower instead of a sonic one. The teen let the water drip off him steaming up the fresher before actually turning it off and dressing. Sometime while Luke had been inside his father must have entered Luke's bedroom because an outfit was lying out on the bed. Luke had never seen it before; probably his father had it made especially for the occasion. It looked soft enough and so Luke didn't hesitate much in putting it on.

Once Luke looked in the mirror, however, he wanted to pull it right off. The soft silk was, of course, all black, but what Luke hadn't noticed before were the traces of gold stitched in. The buttons appeared to be solid gold and even had the Imperial emblem pressed in. Jewels ordained the outfit lavishly, and Luke felt just plain ridiculous. Sure it was a very formal event, Empire Day with the Emperor, but surely this was excessive. The last time Luke had spent Empire Day with the Emperor he'd been wearing a prison jumper…

"Don't tug on your collar like that," his father chastised as Luke made his way into the kitchen. "You'll wrinkle it all and look like a fool."

Luke shot his father a glare as he took a piece of burnt toast 3PO had made. "I already look like a fool! Who even dresses like this?" Luke's father was certainly dressed no different than normal. At most his cape had been pressed. (Suddenly Luke understood where his outfit came from. His father did wear a cape after all. At least Luke wasn't wearing a cape.)

"Luke, I know you and I have not often discussed this but the fact remains that you are the Imperial Prince," his father answered sounding physically pained. Luke shivered internally at the thought, and figured his father probably did too. After all Luke didn't have to be Emperor until both Palpatine and his father died, which seemed to the teen as something that could never happen. Vader would be Emperor upon his master's death, and everyone knew Palpatine was celebrating his eightieth birthday that year. Vader acted more as a commander-in-chief than a Crown Prince, but the realities of the situation remained. Sooner or later Luke would have his father's job as his father would have Palpatine's.

Luke liked the idea of his father as Emperor, it was true. His father truly wanted peace and justice in the world, even if he sometimes went too far to get it. Palpatine was selfish and horrible, but Luke's father wanted to bring the galaxy to peace. No the thought of Emperor Vader made Luke smile.

But the thought of himself as the supreme leader of the Navy? Or worse, as the Emperor himself made Luke feel sick. Rickon would be a much better Emperor, or even Leah for that matter. The reign of Emperor Skywalker would be a terrible one indeed.

"Luke, are you even listening to me?" His father asked, pushing against Luke with the Force to rouse the teen. "I was informing you that you need to be on your absolute best. I wish I had more time to teach you the ways of Court, but you have probably learned more at school than I will ever know. I am no politician and because of my position no one expects much of me. They will be looking at you, waiting for you to be a mistake and prove you are the weak link in the Empire. You must have perfect manners, speak only when spoken to, and under no circumstances say what you are actually thinking. Understood?" Luke nodded, and his father poked Luke through their training bond. "Answer questions with a yes or a no, not a nod. Understood?"

Luke went to nod, but caught himself and clearly said, "Yes Father."

The added 'father' gave Vader enough hope that they could make it through the day without a complete disaster, and so he did not follow through on his plan to 'accidentally' crash their speeder so neither had to go to the celebrations. He just led Luke to the speeder, encouraged the teen to meditate on the way, and hoped that some side of the Force had sympathy on his son.

Luke couldn't help but be nervous as he followed his father from the speeder towards where the Emperor was waiting. For one, his last meeting with the Emperor hadn't gone too well, but also Luke just didn't want to have the whole galaxy watching him. He wasn't anyone special. He wasn't any prince. He was just an average-to-intelligent teenage boy who loved Holos and games and happened to be training in the Force. That didn't make him truly special. It didn't make him worthy to be seen as someone above the rest of the galaxy, and yet that was exactly what his clothes said he was. Luke had worn ragged farmer's whites for over a decade; he didn't need gold to feel like he's moved up in the world.

"Ah, Lord Vader, young Skywalker, I'm glad you could join me," the Emperor greeted as the pair turned the corner. His robes were a crimson red, but, as always, covered his deformed face underneath. Luke had no idea what happened to the Emperor to deform him, but he wondered if perhaps that was part of the Sith thing. Every Sith Luke knew was deformed; another reason the teen wasn't so sure of that path.

"My master," Vader greeted with bowed head. Luke followed suit quickly with a bow, but it must have looked ridiculous because the Sith Master laughed. Luke blushed quickly, which only made more tendrils of glee mix in with the Emperor's dark Force presence.

"No need to worry boy, I'm sure someone has informed you by now that I do not want to kill you."

Luke blushed again, but finally got up the courage to speak despite Palpatine's sickening presence. "I want to apologize to you personally for my comments. They were said in anger and very unfair and wrong."

Palpatine stopped laughing, and Luke could tell he was trying to break past his shields. For a second he considered letting the old master in, but found himself repelling Palpatine. The Sith Master didn't seem to like that all that much, but he put on a smile for his apprentice's sake. "Your son has grown strong in the Force Lord Vader. Does it concern you that he shall soon surpass you?"

"It is a fact I am resigned to," Vader replied simply, probably wondering what had occurred to spark such a comment. "Kenobi deprived me of much of my power when he destroyed my body. Luke is strong; he will be able to succeed where I have failed."

Luke almost commented that his father his still much better than him, but remembered to hold his tongue last second. Both adults noticed, but didn't ask him what was on his mind. They did not want to know.

"Come then, the ceremonies await. I was going to introduce young Skywalker to the galaxy officially, but perhaps we should just let them gossip about what his presence means. It will be far more interesting," Sidious suggested.

Luke loved the idea, but he could feel his father's annoyance. Vader did not want his son to be the spectacle of gossip as it would surely go far beyond anything the Emperor could ever imply in an introduction. This was a punishment for Luke's strength of will, and the boy hadn't even come close to showing his true self. Surely it was going to be a very long day.

The three of them moved towards the platform, and were almost in sight of the people when Palpatine stopped once more. "I know how much you hate these things, old friend. Young Skywalker and I will fair fine alone if you were to go and participate in the Tie-Fighter show. You have often commented that you would prefer to be involved in that extent."

Vader had of course been saying that for 14 years, and he was furious that his master chose now to take him off on that offer. It was obvious that he was trying to separate father from son, probably to turn Luke against him. It wouldn't be difficult considering what Luke was just getting over; surely Palpatine had heard of Vader's deadly mistake.

"I do not mind Master," Vader answered coolly fully aware that he couldn't just outright refuse no matter how much he wished to protect Luke.

But it was this desire to protect Luke that the Sith Master was using to control his apprentice, and while the teen was oblivious, both adults knew it full well. "I insist. Your Tie-Advance prototype is being unveiled today on Lothal, so this will be your last chance to fly the old model."

Luke had to admit he didn't like the idea of his father leaving. It wasn't that Luke was particularly dependent on his father normally; he simply couldn't be. Yet on this day… with this person… well Luke needed all the help he could get.

But his father apparently would not be offering that help, because he got to go flying while Luke was stuck with the Emperor. It was so beyond unfair that Luke didn't even care. He was used to unfairness when it pertained to his father.

 _Do not let him corrupt you. Remember the truths you know._

Luke was shocked to hear his father's voice in his head, but managed to keep still enough that the Emperor wouldn't know the exchange was possible. Luke hadn't even known the exchange was possible, but he should have. Everything was possible with the Force.

"Come now Skywalker, the galaxy awaits."

The Emperor was walking onto the platform towards the thunderous crowd and Luke had no choice but to follow. He tried to keep his pace relaxed and channeled the way his classmates acted the best he could. He even thought he was doing a fairly good job, up until the moment that the Emperor indicated he should sit at his right.

 _This is my father's seat. I didn't know that last time he asked me to sit there but this is my father's seat. He knew even then, and yet he lied to me. Everyone always lies to me._

Luke hadn't thought much about that first encounter with the Emperor, but he couldn't help it as he sat in the same seat as before. It was still too big, though not to the same extent. Luke would probably always be smaller than his father by at least a foot, but at least it was no longer two feet.

"Citizens of the Empire," Palpatine called out to the crowds below and live feed streaming to the galaxy. (Not that most of the galaxy watched. Perhaps the Inner rim would, but in the Outer Rim half the time no one mentioned it being Empire Day. They knew though. They always knew.)

"Today marks the 15th anniversary of when peace came to the galaxy. This great government is no longer a child. In fact, was it a sentient, it could get a Speeder's License today."

The crowd laughed, but Luke could feel the Emperor was not trying to be funny. In fact the Emperor oozed deadly ferocity that made Luke slightly nauseous. "Slavery and corruption are non-existent and the only violence comes from those whose feeble attempts to resist us result in their own destruction. The Jedi abused the Force, and in the end it destroyed them, but now the Force smiles upon us. Let the festivities begin!"

Palpatine sat back down as the Imperial Anthem began to play. A large parade filled with floats of Star Destroyers, Tie-fighters, the Emperor, and even Vader began to make its way around the royal courtyards and the city center. Luke had once thought Coruscant had no ground, but it did… it was just artificial and only extended where it was convenient. The poorer areas of Coruscant would have whole segments of buildings without any real ground supporting them, but not in the Senate and Palace districts. There it looked like… well actually a lot like Theed, which made sense considering the Emperor's history.

"What are you thinking about?"

Luke was startled by the Emperor's attempts at conversation, and considered quickly whether or not this was one of the many things he shouldn't say. It seemed like a relatively safe topic; Palpatine didn't hide his past the way Vader did. "I was thinking of Naboo your majesty. I went there earlier this week on a class trip and I couldn't help but notice that your palace is quite a bit like the one in Theed."

Beneath the cloak Luke could make out a sick smile, but he wasn't deceived. The Force told him how Palpatine truly felt, and that was evil and, well, dark. "Ah yes. I will admit to the influence. Did you enjoy seeing your mother's home? Much nicer than your father's if I do say."

It was true, Naboo was nicer than Tatooine, but Luke felt a certain loyalty to his home. He'd hated Tatooine while there, but now… well he would prefer being there than where he was at the moment. Luke couldn't say that though; he didn't need his father around to know that. "Naboo is beautiful your majesty, and I enjoyed seeing my mother's portrait and grave."

"Such a shame young Padmé's death," Palpatine added wistfully. "She was younger than you when we first met, but twice as bold. I dare say it's a good thing you have inherited a mellowness unlike either of your parents. You've had your moments, but most could not forgive their father for leaving them motherless."

Luke's stomach twisted. He'd suspected something like this would come up, but he'd expected it to be more than a few minutes in. Apparently the Sith did not value patience the way the Jedi did. "I do not wish to judge him without knowing the full story. He admits that he was wrong to hurt her, but I do not truly believe he was responsible for her death. After all she lived long enough to deliver me without his knowledge, so she must have been alive when Kenobi took her. If anyone is responsible it's probably me."

Palpatine let out an insidious laugh, and Luke wondered for a second if he was about to get murdered after all. "You are truly a naïve and foolish child."

"Perhaps," Luke admitted, growing bolder but still feeling completely engulfed by the Dark Force the Emperor radiated. "But I know how often the truth can be manipulated. After all, it was four years ago today that you told me that Darth Vader had killed my father. I would have killed him if I'd been able to and all because you and I had different definitions of death."

Neither could believe the words that had come from the teen's mouth, but for very different reasons. The Emperor realized that he had vastly underestimated Luke who might be mellow but had all of his parent's ferocity. Luke was just horrified and quickly stammered out an apology, "I'm sorry your majesty. I didn't mean any disrespect I…"

"Do not worry," the Emperor told Luke shocking the teen. The Emperor didn't seem to mad. He actually seemed kind for a moment. If not for the Force's warnings Luke might actually have believed it, but either the Emperor's shields had grown weak since the defeat of the Jedi or Luke was far more powerful than either imagined. "You are correct. I knew you would encounter your father sooner or later and sowed a seed of distrust. It was for your own good though. You would be right to distrust your father. He loves you, but he is not against destroying what he loves. Your mother could attest to that, as can you if what I hear is correct."

Luke wasn't surprised that the Emperor knew about the incident after the play, and he rubbed his neck subconsciously. "It was an accident. He didn't want to hurt me, but he can't always control himself."

"Yes, he always has allowed the Force too much control over his actions. Yet you forgive him so easily?"

"I don't think I'm capable of hate your majesty, not the prolonged sort at least," Luke admitted with a shrug. Perhaps the Emperor wouldn't like that; Sith were hate after all. That didn't mean it wasn't true though. Luke couldn't really hate anyone or anything, not even the Emperor. He just couldn't muster up the emotion anymore. Perhaps it had something to do with his Jedi training or maybe Luke was broken. He didn't know.

Palpatine obviously didn't either because he seemed surprised by the possibility. It was very likely that the Sith had never heard of someone who didn't hate anything. "Well, as I said you are very young and naïve."

Luke smiled, almost certain that that had nothing to do with it, "Perhaps your majesty."

"I want you to call me master, young Skywalker," the Emperor declared actually turning to look at Luke for the first time. He may be young, but he was not a child. He needed to begin his training if he was to be prepared by the time the Death Star was. "It will be a few years more before you are ready for me to train you in the ways of the Sith, but you are not my subject, you are my apprentice."

The idea sent a shiver down Luke's spine. Sure he knew where his training was headed, but he did not want to think of himself as the Sith's apprentice. He was very much a Jedi and while his father might let him continue as one the Emperor surely wouldn't. Still, Luke didn't want to face the punishing power of the Dark Side, so he let the words stick to his mouth. "Yes my master."

"Good," the Emperor assured with a nod. "I think perhaps it's also time you expand your training. Your skill with the Light Side is impressive and while you're not ready to accept the power of the Dark Side you are probably capable of learning more about the Senate and Court. Your cousin is Naboo's senator, is she not? Get in contact with her and have her give you lessons."

Luke probably would not like the idea of these lessons no matter what, but considering his awkward meeting with Pooja on Naboo he dreaded them. Still, this was the Emperor, "Yes Master."

"Good," Sidious replied, his voice sounding like a snake devouring its prey, and Luke knew exactly who the prey was. "Perhaps I can make a Sith of you yet."

They did not talk much more after that. Luke listened to the painful speeches and the (fake) pardoning of a youth in silence. The only fun part of the whole bit was watching the Tie-Fighter show. It was always spectacular, but with his father flying it was something else. Who would dare be a rebel against that?

Luke found it hard to enjoy though because he felt terribly sick. He knew it was the Darkness of the Emperor and tried to use the Light Side to push it away, but it was nearly impossible. There was just so much Darkness. By the third hour of the event Luke could think about nothing but the desperate voice screaming inside his head- _I need to get out of here! I need to get out of here! I need to get out of here!_

Finally Luke couldn't take it anymore, and he stood quickly, "Excuse me Master but I need to go to the fresher."

Luckily the Emperor no longer cared much and just waved the teen away. It took all of Luke's power not to run from the platform. Once away from peering eyes Luke did run, though not towards a fresher. He didn't actually need to go, he just needed to go away from there.

Slam! Luke tumbled to the ground as he turned a corner and smacked into someone. Blinking Luke accepted the hand he was being offered, and almost fell back down when he saw who he'd run into.

"Kes?"

Kes had grown up since Luke last saw him. He was almost 22 of course, so it meant sense, but it was odd to see. He looked more put together, more in control. The four others with him all looked as if they were following his lead, and, Luke noticed, had their hands on hidden blasters. (Nothing is hidden to the Force.)

"Luke?" Kes seemed as surprised to see Luke as Luke was to see Kes, but the older man was beaming. "Sith's Hell that is you! What are you doing here? I went back to Vorus to try and find you and I heard that Vader had gotten to you!"

Kes had come back for Luke? "It's a long story," Luke told his once-friend. Kes had been the opposite of Brandon, the person Luke had gone to once everyone thought he was a rebel. Now Luke was still too much of a rebel for Brandon and would certainly be too much of an Imp for Kes. Speaking of which… "I can't believe you're even alive!"

"Same with you!" Kes admitted actually pulling Luke in for a hug and hair ruffle. "After they let me go they had me followed hoping I'd lead them back to the Alliance, but I was smarter than them. It took me a few months but I lost the spy and made it back." Kes waved to the others around them. "My squadron. It's okay guys Luke has the fight of the Princess. Vader killed his parents personally."

That seemed to make the other rebels relax, which just made Luke feel terrible. If only they knew. "Look, Kes, not that I'm not glad to see you but what are you doing with a rebel squadron in the Imperial Palace!"

Before Kes could answer, Luke heard the sound of an explosion and some screaming. The smile on the rebels face that was all the answer Luke needed, well that and the yells of stormtrooper. "Yeah, no time to talk," Kes decided taking off at a run.

"This way," Luke told them figuring that all the spies would be out in the ceremonies not in the palace passages. "I know a way out of here."

The others seemed to doubt Luke, but not Kes. Kes could see nothing but the stupid little kid who'd been terrorized for something he hadn't even done. Now this, this was actual treason. It was good to know Luke was still a Rebel at heart. Kes and the other rebels followed Luke, and stared as the boy somehow opened up a passage in the wall.

"Follow this down until you reach a three-way fork. Take the right passage and then the next left and you'll reach the city's underground. No one will be able to find you down there," Luke told them not even responding to their stares. "Go! The troopers are dumb but do you want Vader finding you?"

That was enough to propel the other rebels into the hidden passageways, but Kes lagged in the back. "You weren't kidding about a Jedi coming to get you, were you?"

Luke had completely forgotten his and Kes's first conversation, but apparently Kes had not. "Look, it's a really long story you don't have time for. All that matters is I am where I belong and so are you. So just stay safe, okay?"

"You could come with us you know," Kes offered even as his friends called for him to come on. "We could use a Jedi, or whatever you are."

It was so very tempting, and yet, at the same time, it wasn't tempting at all. Luke wasn't sure how he felt about the rebels. They were right in a lot of regards about the Empire, but they were wrong to think the Empire was pure evil. The Emperor had terrible tactics, the Emperor was terrible, but a lot of them, but Luke's father, just wanted what was best for the galaxy. And Luke was in a position to do that. "I can't. It's better for everyone that I am where I am. I'm in a position to do real good. So I need you to punch me. That way it will look like I was trying to stop you and no one will question it too much."

Kes looked hesitant, but there was a certain determination in Luke's eyes that shouldn't belong to any 14-year-old. Even if Luke was deciding to stay with the Empire he sure had a rebel spirit, and, despite everything, Kes trusted him. So, he punched Luke flat in the face actually knocking the teen out.


	11. Chapter 11

I am proud to say I have officially begun making my way through the EU books, and actually met Mara Jade which makes me really happy. Check your local libraries guys, and if they have "Heir to the Empire" read it. it's great.

* * *

Chapter 11

When Luke woke up he was quite literally seeing stars. Perhaps that would have concerned most people but for Luke it simply meant he was home in his bedroom. Even at almost 15 Luke hadn't brought himself to remove the glow-in-the-dark stars Nila had put up for him all those years ago.

As Luke tried to sit up he felt a stabbing pain in his head. _Damn Kes, the Alliance sure teaches you how to punch._ His eye was puffy and probably the shade of deep space, but in a way Luke felt pride. He'd done something good in helping the rebels escape with their lives. Sure they'd ruined the Empire Day celebrations, but really they were right to. It was pretty sick to mark the day thousands of Jedi died with celebrations, especially when it was really just an ode to the Sith Emperor. Besides no one deserved to die the kind of brutal and horrible death they surely would have met had Luke not helped them.

The nausea started to fade, and Luke wandered out of his room. He was still wearing most of the fancy regalia besides the coat which someone must have pulled off before putting the teen to bed. Luke assumed it had been his father, though where he now was Luke didn't know. Usually he'd drop everything to be there when his son was injured, and Luke grew concerned. What if Kes and the rebels had done some real damage? What if Luke had helped them after they killed people? Worse, what if they had blown up the Tie-fighters and Luke's father had still been inside. _Did I help the people who killed my father?_

Anxiously Luke reached out through his training bond, and felt a great deal of relief knowing it was still there. His father was still alive, and pressed back against their bond, once again testing the new mind speak thing. _I am with the Emperor at the moment, but I am glad to know you are awake. I will explain more when I arrive home shortly._

Satisfied with the answer and unwilling to test whether or not he could actually reply to his father Luke just set about finding his droids. He found them in the kitchen, and C-3PO looked ready to fall over when he saw Luke. "Oh master Luke it's so good to see you awake. R2 and I feared you dead when your father brought you in unconscious."

"I'm fine," Luke reassured the fretting droid wondering vaguely if 3PO responded to situations the way a mother did. "And you could have just had R2 scanned my vitals."

If droids could blush 3PO certainly would after the little astromech let out a series of whistles. "Well I know you said he was just unconscious but really you're not known for being reliable."

The astromech let out an indignant response before ramming himself into his golden counterpart. Luke laughed his heart warmed by the familiar sight as he began replicating some food. It was dark outside which meant Luke had been unconscious for quite a few hours. Once again he couldn't help but wonder where Kes had learned to punch.

Luke of course had done none of his homework for the weekend, so he set down despite the pounding headache. He had barely started his essay on the corruption of the Jedi Order when his father walked through the door. "Would you say the Jedi council was more of a democracy or a republic?"

"It was an oligarchy. Whatever Masters Yoda or Windu said went and few others ever even spoke up. Obi-Wan would if I'd pestered him enough on the subject, but I don't think I ever heard some of the others speak."

Luke added the quote figuring Mr. Blue would appreciate it before turning off his datapad and looking at his father. "So what happened? I would like to note that whatever happened could never have happened if I had my own lightsaber mind you."

"I'll note that down," Vader replied moving next to Luke so he could touch the teen's black eye. "It must have been a pilot. Only a pilot punches like that." Luke huffed, but he was secretly glad to imagine Kes as a pilot. At least one of them was living out their dreams. "As for what happened… Do not repeat this to anyone as it is highly classified. The fact is that the attack on the Empire Day ceremonies was not an isolated event. Over a dozen similar attacks occurred across the galaxy. The Alliance is getting bold, especially on planets where they never before had a presence. I will be away more often these next few weeks tracking them down so I was considering hiring a new aid to keep an eye on you."

"Don't bother. With gymnastics starting up again I won't even be home much at night and then I can hang out at Rickon's on the weekend." Luke found life at home lonely when his father was away, yet, in typical teenage fashion, he was also not ready to give up his newfound freedom even if he didn't like said freedom.

His father seemed not to mind, "Very well, but if you find yourself suspended again the living situation will change. The Emperor has offered you a place in the palace, so let's not encourage him to push the subject more."

Luke figured he'd probably die if he had to live near the Emperor full-time, so he whole-heartedly agreed. "Yeah, I'll behave. No more treason." He'd certainly done enough in the past few days. "But just remember to come home sometimes too or the Emperor will say he needs to take me in so my training doesn't lag."

Vader apparently hadn't considered that possibility, but quickly reworked his plan for the rebels to ensure it didn't happen. "You are correct, though the next phase of your training you must do alone anyways."

"What am I doing next?" Luke asked intrigued by the possibility. He needed his father to duel against, but maybe he was going to work with the battle droids more? Luke found it a lot harder to fight back against blasts than another saber, so it was probably that. Suddenly it didn't sound as exciting; those things stung.

"You'll see on your birthday," was all his father offered. "Now get back to your homework and go to sleep. Your head needs rest. I cannot wait until I find the foolish rebels who attacked you; they will long for death."

Luke understood his father's feelings about rebels, but worried for Kes. Kes was a good guy doing what he thought was right, much like Luke's father. Hopefully they would just never meet because Luke did not want to think of the other possibilities.

The next day at school everyone was talking about the attack. Only one Tie-fighter had been ruined and it had been empty at the time, but the fire spread to the parade floats and Palpatine and Vader had both gone up in flames. It had been much worse on other planets; there were at least ten dead across the galaxy.

Luke tried not to think of the attack, but it was difficult considering everyone wanted his opinion on it. More than one kid had picked up on Luke's seat of honor at the ceremonies, and they figured he had to know more.

"They probably wouldn't be asking you so much if not for your eye," Rickon pointed out when Luke complained to his friend. "You should get Leah or one of the girls to give you some cover-up. It looks nasty."

Luke was pretty sure Leah didn't wear make-up and that he would never ask any of the other girls, but there was probably some in with his mother's stuff. She'd worn super elaborate makeup as queen, and had to have something Luke could use. He just hoped there was some how-to on the Holonet because he was not going to ask someone how to use the stuff.

"Can't you just spread the rumor that I was being annoying and you punched me?" Luke was whining a bit, but you're allowed to do that when everyone in school is talking about you, again, and you're talking to your best friend.

Rickon quickly shook his head, probably worried his dad would believe the rumor, but Leah came up behind them and placed a hand on Luke's shoulder. "I can tell everyone that I punched you if you want. What's it going to be, you got defeated by some rebels or a girl?"

In the end the whole school was talking about how Luke had used his epic Force powers to try and stop over two dozen rebels before one of them knocked him out from behind and then proceeded to kick the unconscious Imperial in the eye. It was about the best story Rickon could come up with on such short notice, but people believed it and moved on to asking Luke other things.

(Really he wished they'd just stuck with the rebels.) "So I couldn't help but notice you got to sit in the Emperor's box," Jes mentioned during Naboo class. "My father didn't recognize you in that clothes, but I knew you of course. That's a great honor."

"Yeah," Luke agreed with a shrug. "He invited my father and I but then my father ended up doing the Tie show so I was there alone. We didn't talk much if that's what you're thinking."

Jes rolled her eyes; obviously that wasn't what she was thinking. "You really are daft sometimes Luke. You looked like a Prince up there with the Emperor! Half the kids around here thought you were some visiting dignitary and I haven't been correcting them for your own sake, but you've got to consider the position."

Luke didn't know what the position was, but he did know Jes only spoke to people she thought would help her. "Look it was just an outfit. My mother had a lot of money before she died; her whole wardrobe is like that. The Emperor wants people talking about it, wondering what it means. Don't fall into that game Jes, court is a nasty place from what my father says."

"But you are the prince, aren't you?" Jes asked clearly exasperated. "You're going to be Emperor someday; my father says it all the time. And after the play on Friday everyone knows for sure you have your father's skills so…"

"Yes, I am technically the Prince. Yes I have the Force, I don't know what you want from me!"

Jes threw her hands up in exasperation before stalking away clearly too annoyed by Luke missing her point to care about insulting the future Emperor. Luke wasn't insulted though, simply confused, and he decided he needed to ask Leah what the girl was going on about.

"To be honest that is a bit too vague for even me," the girl answered over lunch. "I mean it was like she didn't even know what she was trying to get at. I suspect though it probably has something to do with the fact that as prince you'll be expected to marry well. Jes has mentioned before that her dad may only be an Admiral, but her Uncle is the King of a few mining planets and he doesn't have kids."

So in the boy's locker room they talked about blasting things, and in the girl's locker room they discussed who Luke might marry. It wasn't hard for Luke to guess which of those conversations was actually about the more deadly thing.

"But no one does arranged marriages anymore," Luke pointed out. He'd never, ever, ever heard of something like that happening, not even on Tatooine. "So why would they even think that?"

Leah rolled her eyes, eternally fed up with Luke's naivety. "It's not legal to disown a child who doesn't like the marriage you've pick out, yeah, but there are a lot of people obsessed with royal bloodlines still. The Elder Houses are ridiculous when it comes to their rules and such. Plus lots of people in Court still marry for money and status, even if they're choosing to marry someone richer and more important than them. Most parents don't need to arrange anything, just point their kids in the right direction and tell them to climb."

And apparently some thought they should be climbing all over Luke. He really, really, really didn't like that thought. Also he was wondering how he'd never heard about this in the 4 years he'd been on Coruscant. Sure he was doing more 'princely' things now, but Jes had obviously been thinking about this for a while. It's weird.

"Well I don't care about money or status. I'm going to marry the woman I love."

"An admiral idea, but I will say the money is more likely to last. And you'll marry whoever the Emperor tells you to marry if he tells you to marry someone. He never forced your father to marry even when there appeared to be no heir, so he probably won't care who you marry so long as she's not a rebel or something."

There was a hidden meaning in Leah's words that Luke missed completely. He was too busy thinking about how there would have been no point in asking Vader to marry when he couldn't physically have kids after Mustafar. Luke had no such issues (thank the Force), but apparently that created a whole new set of issues.

But would the Emperor really do it? Luke was still too young to marry and by the time he was old enough Palpatine could very well have died. Luke knew his father would never expect him to marry politically, but what if Palpatine hadn't died? What if he actually was thinking about who Luke should marry? Could he really say no to the Emperor?

Luke shivered at the thought vowing just to not think about it. It was not a problem yet, and there was not even a guarantee it would be a problem. It was best if Luke just forgot about the worry until it was something he actually had to face. He was very good at that.


	12. Chapter 12

Ah crap. Please forgive me for being like 7 minutes late. I'm reading a great fanfic. "These Aren't the Droids You're Looking For" by Kelaria, check it out.

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Chapter 12

Luke sorely regretted answering his Comlink when it rang right at the day's end. "How is your eye?" His father asked from wherever in the galaxy he was.

"Sore," Luke admitted hoping it wouldn't just enrage his father to hate the rebels more (as if that was possible). "Not that I'm not glad to hear from you but I have to get to gymnastics."

"You are not going to gymnastics," his father answered simply, but it didn't stop Luke's heart from falling. He hadn't been to gymnastics in a week, and he was probably not going to hear the last of it for months. "You are to report to your cousin's office in the Senatorial complex immediately. You have an appointment in fifteen minutes."

Luke had really been betting on the Emperor forgetting about the requested lessons; apparently not. "But gymnastics is a requirement for school! I can't just not go!"

It was an excuse and they both knew it. "I am sure your headmaster will be understanding after I explain to him who requested your new lessons. I know you enjoy gymnastics and I am sorry to take this away from you, but that is life. As much joy as it might bring you, abusing the Force's power to win competitions will not help you rule the galaxy some day. Learning from your cousin will."

What could he even say to that? Not only was the teen being reminded, again, of his future, but his father was right. People had been trying to disqualify Luke from competitions for years because the Force gave him an unfair advantage. Still, it felt to Luke like a part of his childhood was coming to an end. He really, really, really enjoyed gymnastics, and certainly would not enjoy politics.

But the Emperor had decided, and no one could just ignore the Emperor because it 'wouldn't be fun.' As much as Luke wanted to take out his frustration on his father he didn't, and just grumbled under his breath as he shut down the connection. He didn't even have time to tell Coach what was up because the Senate building was at least 15 minutes away by foot and Luke was already down to 14 minutes.

Luke could not wait until the next day when he could just fly by himself, especially as he attempted to grab an Air Taxi. Finally the teen gave up figuring the traffic would probably make him later in the end, and so Luke just ran.

He was starting to sweat and aching in pain when he arrived at the senate building. It was probably a pretty terrible impression to make, but at least he was only two minutes late. Now all he had to do was find the office for Naboo's senator…

Luke was a good ten minutes late by the time he found it, and so he didn't even have time to get nervous. He just pushed open the door to the reception area and walked in.

The room was pretty simple with the only adornments being pictures of Naboo. A reception droid sat at a desk, but Senator Naberrie was pacing in the office doorway. She looked up at Luke's entrance, and her eyes grew wide. "Dee-nine-nine, call security if you have to but don't let this one run again." Luke blushed, but Pooja smiled. "It's okay, I'm glad you came I just can't talk to you at the moment. I'm waiting for a representative of Lord Vader…"

"Um, actually, well, that's me," Luke croaked out figuring this was going to be a very, very, very awkward conversation. It would have been bad enough had they not already had an awkward run in on Naboo, but now it was surely going to be unbearable. "I'll explain in your office."

The Senator seemed hesitant to believe him, but seeing as no one in a black cape came to contradict Luke's words, she nodded. Once they were in her office Luke wished he had R2 to check for listening devices, but figured that the Force could probably do the same. Closing his eyes for a second Luke reached out and flipped the switches off. He also double checked that there were no spies in the wall, and was surprised to find there actually was not one. Hmm. Palpatine was actually trusting Luke, how interesting.

"I have to admit I haven't been able to stop thinking about our conversation on Naboo," Pooja finally began, sitting down and offering Luke a drink of water. He could tell from her eyes that she wishes it was something a bit stronger, but she was restraining herself. "I wish to be frank with you Luke and I hope you'll be with me as well. Is my Aunt Padmé your mother?"

It was weird admitting it, admitting it to his cousin, but Luke nodded. "Yes. My parents got married a few days into the Clone Wars and I was born right after the Empire formed. My mother died that day, though I'm not sure of the exact cause."

Pooja nodded, probably having pieced that much together already. "And your father was Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi?" Luke nodded again. "And Lord Vader took you in as a servant? Apprentice?"

Now it was time for Luke to shake his head. "Not exactly… It's. Well, okay I guess. We're family, right? What I'm going to tell you no one else can know. A lot of people have suspected for years, but you're the only one I've ever actually been given permission to tell." Pooja said nothing, but she did not seem scared. "Lord Vader took me in because I am his son."

"But you said…"

"Lord Vader is Anakin Skywalker," Luke interrupted before she got even more confused. "I was not lying when I said Anakin Skywalker was my father. He is, and so is Lord Vader. They're the same person. On the last day of the Republic the Jedi order did betray Palpatine, but my father turned on the Jedi and pledged himself as a Sith to the new Emperor. He was gravely injured by a fellow Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, in a duel over my mother and me. He barely survived, and has had to live in his suit because of his injuries. Kenobi stole me and my mother, and then after she died he took me to live with my Aunt and Uncle on Tatooine- my father's step-brother and his wife. When I was 10 I got caught at a Rebel Rally and arrested. In the end it was the best thing to ever happen to me because I met my father. We'd both thought the other was dead for a decade, but we had both survived. He's been raising me ever sense and training me as a Jedi. Now the Emperor thinks I need to learn more about politics and etiquette, so he wants me to take lessons from you. If you don't want to you don't have to but…"

"But of course I have to," Pooja reassured Luke. "Not because the Emperor said so, but because as you said we are family. But, am I allowed to tell my mother and grandparents about you? They all miss Padmé terribly and if they knew her child survived…"

His father wouldn't like it; Luke knew that. Still, he'd never had much family outside his Aunt and Uncle, and even they weren't blood. If he got to know his mother's family, well it might be like getting to know his mother. "I think that's okay, but just the family. If anyone else asks why you're giving me lessons it's because the Emperor asked you as a fellow citizen of Naboo."

"It's probably for the best anyways," Pooja admitted standing. "If people knew I was related to Vader, even by marriage, well there would be concerns. Not that your father isn't a respected person but…"

But he really wasn't. He was mostly feared. "I understand. Would it, ah, would it be okay if we started in two days? I have plans tomorrow."

"That sounds good to me," Pooja told him actually walking around the desk to give him a tight hug. Luke hadn't had anyone hug him in a long, long time, and even though Pooja wasn't much older than him, Luke imagined it as a hug from his mother… actually it felt a bit like the 'hug' he'd received on Naboo.

When Pooja pulled away Luke realized she was crying. "I'm sorry," she laughed, trying to wipe away the tears. "I just. It's so hard to believe! Ryoo and I always knew about your parents you know; we caught them kissing one day. We never told anyone though, not even when everyone was wondering who the father of her dead child may be… but the child isn't dead and… Well, I am so glad to have a cousin. I cannot wait to tell my mother, and I think you're going to have to meet her soon unless you want her causing a scene. She'll be so happy."

Luke couldn't wait to meet his other aunt, so he smiled and nodded. "I would be glad to meet them. Maybe I can even talk my father into letting me go to Naboo with you…"

"Oh we could take you to Varykino!" Pooja exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "It's our house in the Lake Country. Actually it's your house because it was your mothers but it went back to my mother when she died but… Oh you'll love it there. Ask your father. Even if it has to wait until your school year ends it would be wonderful."

It sounded wonderful, especially because Luke was pretty sure the holos of his parents wedding were taken in Naboo's Lake Country, probably this Varykino. "I'll ask. He owes me and I can probably guilt him into it."

"I find that so hard to imagine," Pooja admitted. "Someone guilt tripping Vader, but there must be a human side to him still. I know Anakin was always very kind, if fierce. I guess he just has an image he must maintain, but he's probably not really like that at all. Is he?"

Luke wished he could say she was right, but it wasn't the truth. Sure his father wasn't all hard edges, but he was certainly dangerous as people assumed. He was really only nice to Luke, and perhaps civil to Rickon and the Admiral. No, he was pretty similar to his public image most of the time. "He has good in him, it's true. He actually had me put flowers on my mother's grave when I was there."

"The leias! My mother was wondering who had known how much she loved them. Oh I wish I could take you with me tonight for the memorial celebrations tomorrow, but…"

"Yeah, I can't." Actually Luke didn't want to. He'd feel like a stranger in mourning for a stranger. Even if it was his mother, Luke didn't really belong. No one was allowed to know she was his mother at all. "But I've heard they were very beautiful."

Pooja nodded in agreement. "Yes, we try to keep them small, but her memory still looms. She was our greatest queen they say, and probably the only thing that kept us safe during the Clone Wars. I always try to be like her in my work, a lot of young senators do."

Luke still found it hard to imagine that he'd come from such a legendary figure, but he liked to picture it. "If you're heading back to Naboo tonight I should let you go. I'll see you in two days then?"

"Yes, I'll be back," Pooja told him, giving him another quick hug. "Maybe my mother will be with me too and you can meet her."

Luke would surely enjoy that more than just a politics lesson, so he nodded. Perhaps this actually could be better than gymnastics.


	13. Chapter 13

Your daily reminder that I am no more than a sappy nerd. Also I've said before that Leah is a writing exercise in subtlety for me, so sorry if her role in this chapter annoys you, and if you have any theories... well I'd like to know how good at the subtlety I am. Anyways, enjoy!

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Chapter 13

Perhaps he was fifteen, but Luke couldn't help but be excited by his birthday. For one, he could finally get a speeder license, but really, it was his birthday! Sure he had to go to school and explain to Coach why he could no longer be on the team, but it was his birthday. Nothing could damper the teen's mood.

His Com was buzzing, and so Luke scrambled out of bed to answer it. None to his surprise his father popped up, "Happy birthday son."

"Thank you Father," Luke grinned. As much as Luke tried not to remember the other event this day marked, he knew his father could never forget. Still, despite his pain over his wife's death, Vader had still managed to congratulate his son. That meant more to Luke than anything. "Any luck finding the rebels responsible for the attack?"

Luke didn't need a response to know the answer was no. "They will be found yet. If you need a guardian to go to the License Bureau I am sure the Admiral will accompany you. You do know that most people do wait the suggested 6 months between getting the permit and the license, correct? It might do you good; it's been years since you've flown."

"Flying is a part of me," Luke reminded his father knowing very well that he could relate. "Besides, I have the Force to tell me if anything is in my path. I'll pass."

Vader huffed, but they both knew he believed in Luke. The Force gave him an unfair advantage, but he was also a Skywalker. It was legended that their family name came from an ancestor who during the Sith Wars actually walked through the sky to invade a Sith fleet. The sky was in their blood. "Well, if you dent your speeder you have to find the credits to fix it, so make sure you are truly attuned to the Force." Luke let out a sarcastic salute, and his father was once again amazed by how good a mood the teen could be in. "And you will find your other present in the training room. I truly believe you are prepared, but if you cannot figure out what the gift is when you see it, then perhaps the Force does not agree."

That was a cryptic message for anyone, but Luke didn't fight his father for an explanation. Whatever it was he was ready, and now he really wanted to know. "Thank you. I better go if I want to have a look before school. Good luck with your search! May the Force be with you."

"And with you always," Vader replied as he disappeared. Luke checked his Chrono and knew he needed to get ready if he didn't want to be late again, but he had to take a peek at this second gift. He'd been under the impression that the speeder cost so much he wasn't getting anything else, and hadn't even been bothered by it.

Luke made his way down to the training room, buttoning his shirt as he went. Once inside Luke looked around for the gift and found it wrapped in simple brown packaging. He ripped it open just as R2 followed him into the room.

It took the teen a second to realize that he had not, in fact, broken the present (as R2 suggested), but that it had never been assembled. He considered the possibility of it being a model of sorts, but no model ship needs a crystal. The crystal was a clear-ish blue, and yet, when Luke picked it up, it shifted to a darker green. Luke had been completely baffled by the gift, but when Luke touched the crystal he understood. The Force spoke to him, not in words like with Obi-Wan, but in a feeling so clear it made words look indirect: _It is time for you to build your own lightsaber._

The speeder showed him growing up in the galaxy, but Luke realized his father giving him this kyber crystal meant he was growing up in the Force. Luke was slightly terrified by the prospect, but deeply honored. And, if he was honest, undeniably thrilled.

Luke knew that building a saber took lots of time, meditation, and patience, which was why he didn't call off his plans to go to the bureau. Still this was going to be Luke's number one priority until it was done, even while he was stretched thin by school and Pooja's lessons. The prospect was so exciting.

It was even exciting enough that Luke made it to school before the bell rang, and didn't even feel tired at all. A couple classmates Luke was friendly with offered him a 'Happy birthday' after Nil began it, but Luke barely paid attention. He could not wait to tell Rickon and Leah.

"You won't believe what my father gave me for my birthday," Luke began sliding in his seat between the two of them first period.

Rickon rolled his eyes, "The nicest speeder on Coruscant which I saw over a week ago?"

"A kyber crystal and parts to make a lightsaber?"

Luke stared at Leah after she actually guessed it. She'd had a lot of ridiculous knowledge but this was a whole new level. "Do you spy on me or something?"

"No, I spy on the spies who spy on you," Leah replied with a shrug. Luke wanted to be annoyed with her, but it was so hard. She was just so chill all the time. That could annoy him, but not her insane honesty. "Your father made a stop on Ilum during his last mission. The whole planet is barricaded because of the caves, which means he was there for the specific purpose of those caves. And you'd need the other parts too so…."

One of these days Luke would figure out Leah. One of these days. "Okay, yeah, I mean you're right. You know I'm probably going to be working on it for a couple weeks. Do you guys want to come over and watch me this weekend?"

"Maybe, sounds a bit boring but if I can take out a spin in your speeder I might come. Oh, my dad offered to take us both to the Bureau after school because apparently I have been asking for weeks and that isn't enough but you get it on the very day of."

Luke felt a bit bad. It wasn't so much that Rickon's dad liked Luke better, it was that he pitied Luke more and therefore tried to spoil Luke in the way it was inappropriate to spoil his own son. Still Rickon had good reason to be resentful sometimes. "I'm going to be giving you rides every day until you get your license, and no way am I letting you fly. Will you come?"

"If I have nothing better to do," Rickon said, and they both knew that was a yes. (When did Rickon ever have something better to do?) "Leah?"

The girl shook her head, "Sorry, I'm sure it will be cool but I can't."

Luke had expected as much, but it was still annoying. "You and I have been friends for what, four years now, and you have never been over my apartment! I know my dad freaks you out but he's not that bad, right Rickon?"

Rickon made a huff that might pass as agreement, but Leah continued to shake her chocolate hair. "You've never come to the palace to visit me on the weekends."

"That's because if I went to the Palace the Emperor would feel my presence and be like 'young Skywalker is here I must go and uproot his life some more'. Besides, you've never even invited me to the Palace because, well, it's the Imperial palace and it belongs to the Emperor, not you."

"And the Penthouse of Republica 500 belongs to Darth Vader, not you!" Leah answered, sounding legitimately upset for probably the first time in as long as Luke had known her. "And if he comes home and sees me there he'll be like 'I must go and uproot her life!'"

Rickon seemed just as surprised as Luke that Leah had finally lost it. "Look he's really not that scary Leah. He doesn't mind me being there and he'd be glad to know Luke actually has more than one frie…"

"No! You don't get it!" Leah huffed leaning forward in her chair so that she was only an inch away from Luke's eyes. "You honestly don't realize it, do you? All these years I've thought you just didn't want to talk about it but you're just oblivious. Look at me Luke, really look at me for a second and let something into your thick skull."

Luke didn't rise to her anger, but centered himself in the Force. As he did he felt the presence of all the beings in his class… all but Leah. It was almost as if she didn't exist but...

Luke's eyes flashed open, and he suddenly felt like a giant fool. He was also slightly terrified. "You have Force Shields. Who put shields around your Force presence?"

"The Emperor, when I was young. I know a thing or two about how to maintain them."

"So you're…" Leah nodded in response to Luke's unfinished question. "I'm sorry, I never realized."

"I still don't realize," Rickon pointed out looking annoyed that (not for the first time) Luke and Leah shared some secret he did not. "What are you talking about?"

Luke waited for Leah to answer, but it appeared she was unable to speak the words. He couldn't blame her. It presented a myriad of questions she probably either didn't have, or wouldn't offer, the answers to. "Leah is Force Sensitive. Not particularly strong, but not weak either. The Emperor taught her how to shield it so no one, well my father mainly, would never know she existed. But why? Are you some sort of spy?"

"No, I just… am. It's too complicated to explain Luke. Sidious doesn't want me trained, but he also doesn't want me dead, so he expects me to keep my shields up, my connection to the Force severed, and my head low. So you can see why marching into Lord Vader's apartment might not end well."

Luke could, but the thought unnerved him. For one he'd never heard anyone outside his father refer to Palpatine as his Sith name. Most people didn't even know he was a Sith! Still there was an honesty to Leah that even now Luke didn't doubt. It explained some of her knowledge, and how she got the spies to tell her stuff. It was a concerning fact, an unknown variable Luke had no explanation for, but he still trusted Leah. She was still his friend.

"I get it. I mean why you don't want to come over. I don't get why Palpatine would do that, but I get you."

Leah claimed she kept her connection to the Force severed, but Luke didn't believe it. How else could she be so aware of what he felt? "I can't tell you the whole truth Luke, and I think you know that feeling well, but believe this. It's not some part of his master plan. I'm not there to be an apprentice if you fail. I'm not there to be a spy or a weapon. I'm no threat to you, just to him. Yet he lets me live, because he is a very, very old man, and even he has weaknesses."

Her words rung true in the Force, and so Luke nodded. A theory or two was cropping up in his mind, but he tried to brush them away. So Leah was Force-Sensitive, Leia was too. A lot of people were Force-Sensitive and just remained under the radar. Okay, it was a bit odd to find someone one on the radar that wasn't on the payroll, but it wasn't unheard of. It was odd, but it was still Leah.

"Well, if you ever want to tell Sidious to screw it you tell me and I might be willing to show you what I know. You'd make a good Jedi."

Leah snorted a laugh, obviously just glad Luke had accepted her without too many questions asked. "I'd make as good a Jedi as you will a Sith. If I could have no power at all I would, but I don't mind the current arrangement, and unless your father discovers me, it won't have to change."

"I'm still confused," Rickon told them, but before Luke or Leah could offer him comforting words the bell rang and class begun.

Knowing it would take forever at the bureau, Admiral Cassel dismissed Luke and Rickon at lunch. Rickon attempted to ask Luke more about Leah's confession, but it wasn't wise to discuss in front of the overly-loyal Admiral. Luke liked the Admiral… especially when he wasn't getting lectures on treason.

Like any bureaucratic place on Coruscant, the lines were insufferable. "This is why I didn't want to bring you Rickon. I figured Lord Vader would ask me to take Luke and I couldn't stand the wait twice."

Luke didn't blame him. It took them a standard hour just to get a number to take the permit test. Then, despite the fact that never more than one of the five testing datapads was occupied, it took another two hours for them to actually get to take the permit test. Both teens passed within five minutes, and then Luke had to get back in line to get another number to take the license test. By the time he finally made it out to the testing speeders Luke had already been at the Bureau for almost 5 hours. It was a pretty terrible way to spend a birthday, but Rickon was always good company, and when they ran out of things to talk about Luke just meditated. At least that passed time quickly (because he was more or less asleep).

The tester climbed in the passenger seat (which had full emergency controls should he need to pilot), and Luke blinked in surprise. "You're a clone!"

"Most kids your age wouldn't even recognize a clone," he huffed, but actually seemed a bit proud. "You have your paperwork?" Luke handed it over. "You realize only 5% of those who try before the recommended 6 months pass, and I've never passed one of you fools that tries for the license first day."

Luke knew the odds, but he also knew he was fine. "I'm from offworld, sir, so it's not really my first time flying."

"Well," he looked back down at the paperwork. "Luke Sk… Wait a minute Skywalker? You're not related to the General, right?"

From Luke's studies of the Clone Wars all the Jedi had been considered Generals, so he could only assume this clone knew what he was talking about. "Did you fight with General Skywalker?"

The clone laughed, "As if, but I've heard enough stories to know that just maybe I won't fail you until you actually make a mistake, first day or not."

Luke hated throwing around Vader's name to get things, but using the name of Anakin Skywalker didn't seem so wrong. Luke hadn't even officially said Anakin was his father; he just let the clone's assumptions stand.

The clone showed Luke a map of their path, and promised to give directions during the course. Luke was slightly nervous as he turned a speeder on for the first time in years, but he still remembered perfectly. (And it was much easier now that his feet truly reached the pedals). Luke eased his way up into city traffic, and spread out his senses to keep track of everything going on around him.

It began easily enough, and the clone seemed confident that Luke wasn't going to kill them. For the teen the thrill of actually being the one flying again after so long made everything worth it, even as he had to navigate the traffic by actually following the laws, not just the way you did it if you didn't want to get killed.

They were almost back to the bureau when the Force screamed that something was wrong. Luke's eyes barely had time to notice the speeder coming the wrong way down the lane, but he had already trusted the Force enough to drop down below the lane to avoid getting hit. His clone instructor stared open-mouthed, amazed by Luke's inhumanly fast reflexes, but Luke's feeling of impending doom did not desist. He turned around to see the passenger of the opposing speeder had been flung from the speeder when it jerked to stop. She was falling between the lanes of traffic, screaming hysterically. Luke didn't stop to think; he put his own speeder in a nose dive. The clone screamed and attempted to take control, but Luke used the Force to quickly deactivate the override. Focusing on the other speeders around him Luke weaved in and out of the lanes of traffic as he sped down towards the falling woman. Finally he caught up to her, and used the Force the best he could to soften her landing in their speeder.

Luke was pretty sure he had failed the test when he made it back to the bureau after speaking to a half dozen traffic officers about the incident. He'd broken a dozen traffic laws to save himself and the woman, but while they were not pressing charges (no one got hurt), surely Luke could not be allowed to pass.

His clone instructor stared at Luke as the teen landed perfectly back at the bureau, and Luke just went to leave until he felt a hand clasp his wrist. Luke looked up, surprised, at the former soldier. "I've seen a lot of people do a lot of stupid things in my day, but that has to top the list. You almost killed us and that woman and everyone on the freeway… but you didn't. I've haven't seen reflexes like yours since the war, and I don't want to think about why that is. Somehow I feel like we were never in any real danger, and so I'm going to give you your license, because we were better off with you flying today than had you not been."

Luke could not believe it, but he couldn't stop beaming. He hadn't regretted saving that woman's life even when he thought he'd failed, but to know he'd done it and still passed… "Thank… thank you!"

"You were the hero today, kid. Your flying is certainly worthy of General Skywalker's legacy, whether or not that legacy actually belongs to you. You made me feel like a real clone again too, so thank you, and happy birthday."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Luckily for Luke the news didn't give the name of the 'hero teen pilot' who saved a woman falling from a speeder, so no one at school questioned him about it. They did, however, all marvel at the beautiful black speeder Luke flew to school the next day. Even the girls who generally couldn't care less about speeders could tell that Luke's was nice. It made sense because Luke was super rich, but to see the sleek machine parked next to the old clunkers everyone else's parents trusted them with was amazing.

Actually Luke felt a bit self-conscious about the attention even if he did know his speeder was beautiful. In a lot of ways he still thought of himself as a poor moisture farmer; they would not be half as impressed with his old Skyhopper, that was for sure.

When school let out Luke knew Pooja was going to be expecting him, but he had to go and give Coach an explanation. Mr. Raybag had already assured Luke that he'd been granted an exception from the sport rule for his lessons, which meant Coach Dug probably had heard, but he needed to hear it from Luke. As much as the words would hurt Luke had to go himself.

The team was probably all still changing because Coach Dug was alone in the gymnasium. Luke's hands touched the bars and vaults as he passed, longing to clasp them one last time and do one more routine. He truly did love the feeling of the flying he did during gymnastics, but nothing good could last.

"I remember the first time I saw you," Coach began, not looking up from his clipboard at Luke. "You were way too skinny to have near the kind of strength you would need, and yet I was thrilled to finally have a boy on the team. Then you showed me your handstand and I wanted to make a professional of you. When I learned who your dad was I knew that wasn't your future, and neither were you going to be a pilot." Coach finally looked up, and Luke realized he was crying a bit. "I'm proud of you for actually coming to speak to me. You always have been very responsible."

"I wish I didn't have to quit. I'll miss this so much," Luke admitted. "But the Emperor himself told me I needed these lessons and… Well hopefully I'll be done by next season, right?"

They both knew the lessons would never end, and Luke would never do gymnastics in an official context again. "Hopefully. Did you ever manage that one handed handstand?"

Luke laughed; that was actually part of the Jedi curriculum and he hadn't even known it at the time. Without thinking Luke kicked up into the handstand and focused to keep his balance using one hand. There were no little men to stand on him, but Luke focused on using the Force to raise some of the weights from the walls. When he finally came back down Coach was smiling.

"Don't be a stranger. You're always welcome here Luke," Couch told the teen actually giving him a hug. Coach never had his own kids, but he had had Luke. "Now get to your lesson."

"Goodbye Coach."

"Goodbye, your highness."

The title bothered Luke, and yet he knew that was not Coach's intention. No, he was honestly telling Luke that he deserved to be a prince, that he deserved to be the future Emperor. That's what these lessons were really about after all, and, despite his reservations about the title, Luke was glad to know Coach was behind him.

When Luke got to Senator Naberrie's office she looked furious, but it was not because Luke was late. "I cannot believe you didn't think to remind me that the anniversary of your mother's death is also your birthday! My sister pointed it out yesterday when I told the family about you and I felt like a complete fool. You should have invited us to the party!"

"I didn't have a party," Luke told her with a shrug, secretly glad that she was so insulted. It meant that she cared about Luke because they were family, even if they were also strangers. "My father doesn't like to mark the date anymore than I'm sure your family does. I'm alive every day, she only died on one."

It was a logical statement, but only upset Pooja more. "Don't be ridiculous. Yes her death hurts my mother and grandparents even after all these years, but they would much prefer to celebrate what she died bringing into this world. And that is why the whole family has made the trip to meet you and throw a party. We're going to my apartment now."

"What about my lesson?" Luke asked completely overwhelmed by the thought of meeting all of his mother's family. How many people did that even include? Did his mother have other siblings outside Pooja's mother? Luke didn't even know. He would be completely out of his depth.

Which was sort of the point. "Your lesson will be in how to conduct yourself at a party with family desperate to meet you after thinking you dead for 15 years!"

Luke was pretty sure that was not the kind of situation he needed to know about, but he obviously wasn't talking Pooja out of it. He was a little excited too, excited to finally know his family, his family he didn't know he had.

That family was not as large as they might have been, but totally overwhelming. The first person he met was Ryoo, Pooja's older sister. She looked a lot like Luke's mother, and hugged Luke immediately. "I would have brought my boyfriend Haren, but he couldn't get the time off on such short notice. You'll have to meet him though because he used to be a smuggler and has the best stories."

Luke was going to tell her that that sounded like fun, but couldn't before another woman knocked the breath out of him with a hug. "I always teased your mother about marrying Anakin, but I never thought she actually would! I'm your Aunt Sola. I am so glad you are alive."

Luke didn't know what to say to that, but again he didn't have to as he was busy shaking a hand. "I'm Darred, Sola's husband. It's very nice to meet you Luke. I always wanted a son, so a nephew is a welcome gift."

"You spoiled us rotten," Pooja corrected, laughing as she greeted her father. "Are Nanna and Poppa in the kitchen?"

"Of course," Sola told her daughter. "I'll apologize for my mother before you meet her Luke because she's going to take one look at you and try to fatten you up. Padmé was always small but our mother did her best to change that."

Luke had never had grandparents before. His father's mother was buried outside their homestead years before Luke was born, and his father's father… well actually he didn't know much about that. If the Jedi temple's records were correct there might never have been a father at all, and that simply didn't make sense to Luke.

Pooja led Luke back to the kitchen, where he was promptly hugged by the woman who could only be his grandmother. There were tears in her eyes as she pulled away, and Luke could feel her immense pain through the Force. Losing a child… it was unimaginable. Finding a long-lost grandchild… even more so. "There were many days after your mother's death that I wished I was gone as well," she told Luke holding his shoulder's tight. "I am so glad my wishes weren't fulfilled because meeting you makes it worth it. You look so much like her. I see Anakin in your coloring, but your mother was the soft one. I see her in the lines of your face. Oh I'm so glad to meet you."

"I am as well," the older man told Luke gripping the teen's shoulder. "You look like a sharp young man. I am Ruwee, my wife is Jobal. You're welcome to call us Nana and Poppa as Ryoo and Pooja do, but if you're more comfortable using our names feel free to. Poppa must sound pretty silly for someone your age."

It did sound a bit silly, but also endearing. This was a real family. Luke loved his father, Owen and Beru, but they weren't a family. This was a real family with aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. It was wonderful.

"Now, I don't know how much traditional Naboo food you've had, but I've made all of your cousins' favorites and hope you'll enjoy it too," Jobal told her only grandson wiping her own tears and turning back to the pots.

"I'm sure it will be great," Luke told them, finally bringing himself to speak. He still felt a little bit awkward, but their truly loving nature was helping. "Thank you, all of you, for welcoming me. I never realized I had so much family."

"Well I'm sure Vader had perfectly good reasons for hiding you from your family for years after he met you."

Sola's words were low, and obviously unintentional, but no one missed the slip. Suddenly Luke was aware of a vast coldness running through his family. They all loved his mother, loved Luke as much as she was Padmé's, but they hated Vader. Perhaps they liked Anakin Skywalker, but they despised Vader, and Luke was pretty sure he did not want to know why.

"My wife can be tactless sometimes," Darred finally said breaking the tense silence. "But we're just glad that fate has finally brought you into our lives."

Sola nodded, but Luke could sense that was not really the case. They were all angry that Luke had been kept from them, much the same way his father had been angry at Obi-Wan actually. _Let's just hope this ends better than that._

It was early for dinner, but they offered Luke a bunch of different types of drinks. "Tatooine doesn't really have signature drinks," Luke admitted well trying something called a Theedian Slurp. It tasted distinctly fruity, though what the actual berry was Luke had no clue. It was certainly good though, and so he had some more. "If there was something to drink besides blue Bantha milk I was happy."

"That must have been hard," Sola sympathized, relaxed upon seeing how much of her father's serenity existed in Luke. "I wish the Jedi had brought you to us instead of Tatooine. I'm sure your aunt and uncle did the best they can, but Naboo is simply a nicer planet."

"Tatooine's not that bad," Luke quickly defended his home world, despite having hated it when he lived there. Sola seemed to be insulted though, so he quickly calmed himself. "My Aunt and Uncle had no children of their own, so they really took care of me. I'm sure you would have too, but I was better hidden on Tatooine. The Emperor is from Naboo, so he might have visited there and found me. No one comes to Tatooine unless they're trying to hide from the Empire, so I fit right in."

"But in the end the Emperor and Vader found you anyways," Sola pointed out. "So really it made no difference at all. It was an odd thing to do, that's all. I met Anakin on a number of occasions, and yet from what I hear Anakin only met his step-brother once. You should have gone to us."

Luke again felt the need to defend the life he'd lived. He liked his life. "My Aunt and Uncle knew absolutely nothing about me or my parents, but they took me in because I was safest with those people Palpatine would never suspect. They worked every day to give me what I needed and help me survive on a horrible planet. On Tatooine you take care of kids, you don't force them to make life-or-death decisions about whole planets!"

"At least on Naboo we don't let children stay with murderers, father or not! If you had lived there I could easily get the courts to ignore his diplomatic immunity and grant me custody before you turn into a monster too."

"Mother!" Pooja cried as Luke got up to leave. He was not about to sit there and listen to someone criticize his father. Yes he killed people. Yes he made mistakes, but that didn't mean he was a monster, and it did not mean that Luke wanted to be living with anyone else.

"Luke wait," Pooja cried coming after her cousin. "I'm sorry, my mother says the dumbest things sometimes. There have just always been rumors that Vader killed Padmé so for them to have actually been married…"

"I don't want her to fight the courts for custody of me! I like living with my father. He's training me to be a Jedi and fly ships, and do loads of cool things. I love my father and he loves me. He's not a monster."

Pooja grabbed Luke's shoulder and gave it a tight squeeze. "I know he isn't. You're obviously not a bad person and he can't be either. It's just hard to change your beliefs after hating someone for so long. My mother will come around, and if she doesn't the rest of us still want you here."

Luke didn't want to go back in there, to listen to more comments, but he could feel his grandmother's anxiety. If Luke left she'd lose Padmé all over again, and that would certainly destroy her.

"Sister-in-law or not my father will kill your mother if she tries to take me from him," Luke warned Pooja his eyes calm but pointed. "And I will leave if she doesn't stop talking."

"I'll spike her drink. She's one of those people who is only loose-lipped when she's sober," Pooja promised leading Luke back inside. "She'll just be quite for the rest of the night."

Pooja must have actually done it because Sola made no further comments. The rest of the family was still on edge, but by dinner they relaxed. Luke could almost say he was comfortable around his family by the time they did cake and presents.

Luke could hardly believe that they had all gotten him a birthday present on such short notice, but they had. Pooja had a box of Senatorial holovids, all featuring Padmé, which she handed over to Luke. His grandparents provided him with vouchers for first class seating on any flight to Naboo, and the key to this lake house he kept hearing about. Sola, through Darred, presented Luke with a book of family photos, but Luke, selfish as it was, liked Ryoo's present best.

"I didn't have anything of your mother's, but I figured with the Skywalker reputation you probably like flying," she admitted as Luke unwrapped a glistening gift card. "It's right here on Coruscant. It's a civilian training flight simulation Academy, and there is enough on that card for you and a friend to spend a day learning to fly Tie-Fighters. I know your father might have already taught you but…"

"He hasn't," Luke assured her beaming. Oh Rickon would love this so much. "And flying is my favorite thing. Thank you so much."

"I'm glad you like it," his cousin admitted with a blush. "I had no idea what you would be like, but I figured that despite everything you'd probably be like most fifteen-year-old boys, and so I thought it was appropriate."

Ryoo was definitely one of Luke's favorite cousins, and he was glad that she got what the rest of the family seemed slow to realize. To them he was Padmé, Anakin, Vader's son, but to Ryoo Luke was his own person, a normal teen, and he really appreciated that. It made Luke feel like he actually was one, if only for a moment before someone drew another comparison between Luke and his parents.


	15. Chapter 15

If you can leave a review. Also, 10 point to whoever spots the vague Harry Potter reference. Enjoy!

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Chapter 15

Luke and Pooja's lessons continued over the next couple days, and Luke actually had to admit he learned a lot. A few times Luke sat in on late afternoon senate discussions where bills about military funding and trade routes, and basically everything else was discussed. He did find it a bit odd that the senate passed only those things that the Emperor wouldn't veto, but tried to ignore it. It also wouldn't have made sense if the Senate could overpower the Emperor's opinion, so really there was no other way. Yet it was strikingly obvious to Luke that the senate had no real power. It seemed to Luke that they were only there to give the allusion that the people were deciding things, when in reality it was only the Emperor.

But Luke had sort of known that was the case beforehand, so he managed to make no comment of it. If Pooja noticed how disillusioned Luke was about the government she made no comment, and just carried on with her work.

Luke's Jedi training was going far better. His father was home less and less, but Luke barely noticed he was so engrossed in putting together his lightsaber. It was difficult, patience-trying work, but Luke enjoyed it. The Force told him how to do it, and Luke simply had to trust the Force in a way he never had before. It brought him a sense of calm serenity that all teens sorely needed.

Finally it was almost done. As soon as Luke got home from his lesson with Pooja he could put the crystal in and see if it actually worked. If it didn't… well Luke wasn't sure what he'd do, but he had faith. Faith in himself and the Force. That was, after all, the true purpose of padawans building their own sabers.

"A friend of mine is being inaugurated tomorrow as the new Senator for Alderaan," Pooja told Luke when he got to her office. "I was thinking you could come to the party as my plus one. It won't be too large an affair, but a good chance for you to get out and practice what we've been working on."

Luke imagined it would still be far too big an affair for his comfort zone, but he nodded. Perhaps the party wouldn't be too terrible, and Leia might be there. Luke hadn't seen her since the day they met, but she had said she was from Alderaan…

"The only trouble is we need to review your table manners and I don't have the stuff we need to do that here," Pooja admitted with a sigh. "And I don't want to go back to my apartment because my mother is still there and I don't think you want any more of her comments."

No, not really. He found his aunt to be quite annoying and self-centered, and he didn't really want to have to practice his table manners with her. "We can head back to my apartment. I have everything there I'm sure and if you miss something my protocol droid will surely remind me."

Luke could sense his cousin's curiosity, but she was still hesitant. "I don't know. Are you sure your father won't mind?"

"He's not home, come on," Luke told her deciding it was best if he just acted and forced her to follow. It worked because Pooja came running after Luke just as he got into the pilot's seat of his speeder. She looked annoyed, probably because this was the type of manners she was trying to beat out of Luke, but she got into the passenger seat.

Pooja had an odd look in her eyes as they arrived at Luke's apartment. "I feel like I've been here before," she whispered looking around.

"You probably have," Luke told her with a shrug. "It belonged to my mother. 3PO, this is my cousin Senator Pooja Naberrie, Pooja this is my protocol droid C-3PO and the little blue one is R2-D2."

"It's wonderful to meet you!" 3PO beamed, sounding more excited than Luke had ever heard. R2 didn't seem so impressed, but made a disappointed chirp that Luke interpreted as 'we've already met'.

"You know it's not normal to introduce people to droids like they're sentients," Pooja pointed out as Luke and 3PO got the necessary cutlery for their practice. "I don't mind but many would take it as an insult."

"She is correct Master Luke," 3PO added because when it came to protocol he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

Luke had actually known that fact, but he thought it was pretty silly. Sure some droids had no concept of emotion or feelings, but Luke knew some sentients who showed less emotion than R2 and 3PO, his father for one. Just because a droid wasn't organic that didn't mean they weren't just as alive as Luke or Pooja. It bothered him sometimes that people didn't get that. _When I'm Emperor I'll push forward a bill to redefine sentient to include some droids._

Luke was shocked by his own thought. Never before had he considered the things he might do as Emperor. Normally he ignored the possibility of him being emperor at all! Still it wasn't a bad idea…

Luke did pretty well at their practice meal. On Tatooine table manners were a very different ordeal, but 3PO had been teaching Luke for years how to act properly. The hardest bit was just how to do it all when standing up, because Pooja told Luke it was more of a cocktail affair than sit-down dinner.

"Alright then, how is the dancing coming along?"

Luke managed to keep his groan internal. It wasn't that he was particularly horrible at dancing, the Force and many years of gymnastics helped him with that, it was that Luke dreaded having to actually do it. With Pooja it wasn't so bad but Luke couldn't imagine actually holding a stranger so low down on her back. It seemed more rude to Luke than not dancing with the girl at all.

"Don't worry," Pooja reassured him. "There won't be that many people there young enough that you need to dance with them. It's just a good thing to know. Every woman likes a man who can dance well."

Luke didn't know why 'every woman' would care, but he got into position as R2 put on some music for them. It was going well enough, until Luke felt a prickling on his back and turned to see his father there looking amused.

"I pity the poor woman who ever has to dance with my son." Luke laughed, but he grew uncomfortable as Pooja stiffened up. She was really not glad to have run into her Uncle. "I'm sorry if I have startled you senator. I did not realize you and Luke would be having your lessons here."

"It was just a onetime thing," Pooja quickly defended. "My mother is home and she tends to talk too much."

Vader nodded, "I recall as much. She enjoyed hounding Padmé about when she would leave the senate and have kids. I'm surprised she approves of you serving."

"She does not," Pooja admitted stiffly. Her thoughts were projecting loudly, and Luke cringed as he and his father picked up on one of her thoughts. _So this is what Uncle Ani has become. I don't know how Luke can stand this coldness, he's far too nice for it._

"You should go," Luke told her cousin quickly moving to steer her away before any more ill-thoughts could be projected. It's not like a person can really control their thoughts, but that didn't mean Vader was any less likely to be annoyed. "Father, Pooja was going to take me to the new Senator for Alderaan's inauguration tomorrow, is that alright?" Vader nodded his assent and went towards the training room eager to check on his son's progress as Luke showed Pooja out.

Since Luke had to fly Pooja all the way back to the senate building, it was some time before he made it down to the training room. His father was still inspecting the new saber, but Luke noticed the kyber crystal was untouched. _Would it suddenly turn red if my father touched it? That would be so odd._

"You've done well," he told his son putting the saber down. "I did not expect you to complete it so quickly. Between this and spending time with your mother's family have you remembered to do any schoolwork?"

Okay, it hadn't been a priority, but Luke had done most of it. "I've mostly just been working with Pooja, but they did all throw me a birthday party. It was… nice of them. They can be a bit much but that's only because they loved mother a lot and want what's best for me."

Luke didn't need to say it for his father to understand: the Naberries didn't think living with a Sith was best for Luke. "Perhaps they are right. I am not around as much as I should be and you could do well with a mother."

"I've already lived with an Aunt and Uncle before," Luke reminded, sensing that Sola's demands were actually his father's deepest insecurities. "I like living with you, and you're around enough. It's not like I really have time to spend with you even when you are home."

It was true, but Vader still felt bad for leaving Luke alone so often. It was unavoidable, especially as the Alliance grew stronger, but that did not mean it was something he liked. He would much prefer it if Luke was done with school already and could join him on his Star Destroyer. On Naboo or Alderaan many people were doing full-time jobs by Luke's age, but Tatooine and Coruscant had always had different customs. Luke still had two more years of schooling to finish, but perhaps then, or during his next school break…

"You might as well finish your saber now, and then we can test how well it works," Vader told his son, shaking away the thoughts. It did not do to be distracted, and the look of excitement on Luke's face was undeniable.

Luke was excited, but he was also slightly terrified. What if it didn't work? What if he put in the crystal, went to turn it on, and failed? His father wouldn't say anything but he'd be vastly disappointed. It would prove Luke wasn't truly trained or ready and…

Luke took a deep breath, pulled on the Force to guide his hands, and pressed the crystal into place. A surge of energy flooded through the Force telling Luke it had worked, and so he turned it on.

A brilliant green blade burst forth from within and hummed normally. Luke swung it back and forth a couple times, trying to get a feel for it. The blade was longer than with the training sabers he was used to, and far more deadly. He could accidentally cut a limb off if he wasn't careful now when training. Still, there was something whole and right about Luke's own saber that made him smile.

"You have done well," his father agreed. "Now that you have your own blade you must remember that that weapon is your life. I lost more than my share of lightsabers, but you must try to not lose yours, and never give it away. I once gave my saber to your mother and that very day the Senate was taken hostage. If I hadn't been so foolish as to lend her my saber things would certainly have gone smoother."

Luke nodded, "Father, what do lightsaber colors signify."

"It's not really clear," he admitted, not surprised that Luke was wondering. Everyone wondered once they discovered the color their own crystal tuned to. "All Sith's blades tune red, but there is more diversity among the Jedi. I once heard a a joke though that I think explains it well. Three Jedi face a shut door. The Jedi with the Blue blade begins to cut his way through it. The Jedi with a yellow blade hotwires the panel to open itself. The Jedi with the green blade simply knocks."

Luke laughed, probably just proud to be part of the group that did the logical thing. Of course they both knew Luke's lightsaber would not be for life, that he would need a new one once he began his training as a Sith, but it was a fine blade for now, and Luke was right to be proud of it.

Vader pulled his own lightsaber, and Luke quickly responded to stop the blow. He was surprised by his father's sudden move, but couldn't help but smile as they did their first truly dangerous spar. Vader, of course, won (he usually did), but Luke managed not to cut off any limbs, which was all he really cared about at the moment.

"You need to go do your schoolwork," Vader finally reminded his son, not willing to admit that he too was tired. Most of the Jedi were long dead, and Vader had not had a truly worthy sparing partner in years. Luke could actually exhaust him. "I will be home for a few days at least and we can practice more later."

"It was fun," Luke could barely breathe, but he meant the words. "Thanks Dad."

"Father."

"You don't have to call me Father, dad."

Luke was out the door before he could get in trouble for his insufferably good mood, but his father was left amazed. Luke was truly an incredible child, and it was good he had a mask, because the teen would have only been more encouraged should he see the smile on his father's face.


	16. Chapter 16

Another insanely long chapter. Enjoy

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Chapter 16

Luke was not smiling the next night as he quickly did his homework and got dressed for the party. Pooja had said she'd pick Luke up at 17-hundred, and she was probably not going to be late, which meant Luke somehow had to finish getting ready in- he checked his chrono- 5 minutes.

He didn't even know what to wear. His stuff from Empire Day was too nice, but everything else he owned wasn't nice enough. _If this is going to be a regular occurrence I need to go shopping._ He decided on wearing the Empire Day outfit minus the jeweled jacket, and instead put on his blazer from school. The red blazer brightened up the rest of it, and he felt like he looked reasonably appropriate.

Of course his hair was a mess when Pooja arrived, but Luke could do that on the way. He ran towards the landing pad, before stopping in his tracks. Okay, so he probably wouldn't need it, but his father had been letting Luke take his saber everywhere, even school, so long as it was hidden so…

Luke grabbed the saber and put it in one of the jacket's inside pockets. The bulge was slightly noticeable, but since his blazer was also slightly too large most people wouldn't notice. He could probably just unbutton it too once he'd been there for a little while, and then you wouldn't be able to tell at all.

"You look nice," Pooja told Luke the relief apparent in her voice. Apparently dressing himself was the first test and, since Luke had passed that one, he might be able to get through the rest of the function without looking like a fool. "Now when we get there I want you to stay by my side until the official after-party starts. Too many people know you as Lord Vader's son, so just say I'm giving you lessons at the Emperor's request and don't mention I am your cousin. I think your father likes having people wonder who your mother could possibly be, and we don't want questions about Anakin popping up…. There were a lot of rumors that he was the father to her child, Jedi Code or not."

Rumors had an odd way of being true, didn't they?

"Feel free to talk openly with anyone your age, they're all below you technically so it's no big deal. If an adult speaks to you be cordial, honest, but only say what they want you to. I'm trying not to make a big deal out of you being here, but surely people will want to speak to you. Your father is a very important man, and that makes you very important as well."

Pooja was fretting, and Luke didn't blame her. He was fretting as well. Coruscant's climate didn't really change from month to month, but Luke felt as if it was hot as Tatooine as he stepped from the speeder and followed after Pooja. He was sweating profusely, and he didn't normally get hot considering his upbringing. _Face it, you're not hot, you're terrified._

He was terrified, up until the moment that he felt his lightsaber bump against him. It was the reminder Luke needed, a reminder that he was a powerful Jedi, that he was not alone. He had the Force.

Luke wasn't totally calm when he followed Pooja into the Senate Building, but he didn't feel like he was going to die. The Senate building was crowded, but Pooja had assured Luke the inauguration part was short. The reception would surely go on all night, but the boring part was short.

Or at least Luke assumed it would be boring up until the moment that the swearing-in was to take place. "I now call forward Princess Leia Organa to take the oath of office."

"Leia is the new senator?" Luke whispered, completely shocked. Of course she was! Now he knew why her mother was coming to see the inauguration. But Leia… Leia was his age. If Luke felt like he had a lot of responsibility it was nothing compared to being a senator at 15.

"You know the Princess?" Pooja asked, surprised.

"We met a couple weeks ago," Luke explained sure that explaining their shared treason was probably not a good idea. "I knew she was a Princess but a Senator… wow."

Pooja nodded, "It is most impressive. Now hush."

Luke did, mostly because he was staring at Leia. She looked exceptionally beautiful tonight. Her hair was pulled into an intricate braid that wrapped all the way around, and some hanging down her back. She wore a simple white dress with a sort of silver belt wrapped around it. She looked like… well Luke didn't even know but it sure was beautiful.

And she looked strong too, especially as she lay her hand on a copy of the Constitution. "Do you, Princess Leia Organa swear to always honor the will of the Emperor, uphold the sacred constitution of the Galactic Empire, be honest in all your dealings, never perform espionage in the Senatorial Offices, and always be true to your Emperor and the people of Alderaan."

"I solemnly swear so to do."

The crowd applauded as the ceremony ended, and Pooja pointed Luke towards the reception. The teen found it hard to tear his eyes away from Leia, but figured she would probably be at the party, since it was technically for her.

It took them so long to make it out of the Senate building that the reception was already in full-swing upon their arrival. Leia stood in mass of people greeting everyone, and Luke figured it would be impossible for him to talk to her any time soon. Pooja had told him that at the party he'd need to branch out and speak to people, so when he spotted Jes talking to some boys around their age he made his way over.

"Hello Jes," Luke greeted. Jes looked nice as well, but not as nice as Leia. She'd lost a lot of weight since they'd first met, but she was still quite large and the permanently snooty look on her face wasn't exactly attractive. She wasn't even that rude, to Luke at least, but she just always looked ready to be rude.

Or well, in this case, she looked surprised. "Luke! I've never seen you at one of these parties before. This is Ronrem Grevelli and Zainat Tozecurr, they're both in officer training at the Naval Academy. This is Rufaan Tigellinus, he's just been promoted to Commander and will probably be an Admiral before we even graduate. This is Luke Skywalker, Lord Vader's son."

The three other boys had been eyeing Luke with looks of suspicion, probably wondering if he was worthy of speaking to them if he didn't come to these sorts of parties often. At the mention of his father, however, all three men straightened right up. "It's an honor to meet you," Rufaan declared, grabbing Luke's hand before the teen could even offer it. "Your father is a great man."

"Thank you," Luke answered attempting to keep his handshake firm and appropriate. "It's nice to meet you all as well. It must be very exciting to be a part of the Navy."

"It certainly is," Rufaan, who obviously felt the need to dominate to conversation, agreed. "Your father is quite the flier, do you take after him?"

Rufaan was leading Luke away from the group, and Luke found it odd. Did Rufaan plan on dumping Luke, going back to his friends? Or was he actually just glad to latch onto Luke, onto someone higher?

 _I might know what to say and how to act, but I'll never get Court._

"I enjoy flying yes," Luke told the man, suddenly wishing he could get away and talk to, well, anyone else. Hopefully there was someone around who didn't have ulterior motives for speaking to Luke. "Of course I haven't had a lot of opportunities to fly in space." Or well any.

Rufaan nodded, "Well you're young yet. I'm sure the Navy will benefit from you greatly whenever your time comes to join us. Of course your father isn't officially part of the Navy. Do you think your role will be like that?"

Ah, so he was trying to pry information out of Luke. "I do not know what my future will entail. I do what the Emperor requests of me."

It was a thoroughly political answer, and Rufaan seemed annoyed that Luke was smart enough to deflect the question. "Yes, we all must do what the Emperor requests. If you'll excuse me."

Luke was surprised the man gave up so easily, but maybe he just didn't want to be seen with someone so much younger than him, Vader's son or not. Luke didn't mind and was going to go back to Jes's familiar face when he caught a face that was not only familiar, but friendly.

"Leah, what are you doing here?" Luke asked his friend going over to see her. "You realize this celebration is for Leia, not you."

"Ha ha," Leah said rolling her eyes at Luke's terrible joke. "And I could ask you the same question. I always go to things like this, but you don't. After all if you have a party in the palace it's hard to keep out those who live there."

Luke found it hard to imagine Leah interacting with these socialites often, but he figured there was much more to Leah than he knew. She'd already proven that once, and Luke knew she would again. He could probably spend a lifetime with her and still not really get her, but that was okay. Luke could be hard to understand at times as well. "I'm here as part of my training. Pooja thought the party would be big enough that no one would notice my presence, but small enough not to overwhelm me."

"Perhaps it would have been if the Emperor hadn't decided to come," Leah offhandedly said freaking Luke out. He looked around quickly for the man in question and found him at the center of a large crowd of people. Actually Luke couldn't see the Emperor amid his courtiers, but the red guard was visible enough.

"Does he, ah, normally come to stuff like this?"

Leah shook her head, laughing at Luke's obvious discomfort. "Really you need to start paying attention to your surroundings more, he's been here all night. But to answer your question, no, he was just bored tonight and decided that if he was going to rent out palace banquet halls to Senate functions he might as well come."

It was a logical explanation, but the paranoid part of Luke wondered if the Emperor simply knew Luke was coming and decided to stop in because of that. It would be a ridiculously self-centered conspiracy… if only Luke couldn't sense the Emperor watching him through the throngs of people.

"He's coming our way," Luke told Leah, but she obviously could tell as well. Not for the first time Luke wondered just how well Leah knew the Emperor, and just how much she truly had kept herself disconnected from the Force.

The Red Guard moved in such a swift way that Luke didn't even realize it had happened until it did. Suddenly the crowd around the Emperor was no longer on the other side of the room but next to them, and then suddenly Luke and Leah were in the middle of the crowd right next to the Emperor himself.

"Young Skywalker, an unexpected surprise. I see you and Leah have met."

There was an odd… excitement coming from the Emperor as he spoke. For some reason he seemed thrilled that Leah and Luke had met. It was completely irrational and yet, yet Luke couldn't help but remember that Leah was the one who'd mentioned an arranged marriage, and Leah always knew things. Surely…

No, it was too ridiculous a thought. Besides, if the Emperor really was going to marry Luke off it would be to someone with status, not a maid's daughter, even if that maid's daughter was Force-Sensitive. He was probably just surprised that Luke and Leah knew each other, or maybe he thought they were a couple and just thought it was funny to have someone to use against Luke…

"We actually attend school together Your maj… Master," Luke corrected quickly.

Palpatine smiled, his cracked lips curling disgustingly. "Yes, that makes sense. I had simply… forgotten. We cannot all be so young. I saw Senator Naberrie. Are you here with her?"

"Yes Master, as part of my lessons."

The Emperor nodded, seemingly bored already. Luke appeared to have that affect on him. "Good. Perhaps Leah here could add another element to your lessons. She's quite good at sneaking around court like she actually belongs. There are many here who see her finery and don't even realize it's stolen."

Luke had never seen Leah so incredibly thrown, and he didn't even realize he'd stepped between her and the Emperor until she stepped out to speak. "Not stolen, your majesty, simply borrowed," she stammered. "I will retire immediately and return it. I am sorry."

"It is no problem," Palpatine waved off despite the fact that he seemed to be purposely radiating darkness to scare Leah. "Remain here with Skywalker as long as you would like. I will inform your mother that she must actually spend some of her salary on you if she would like for me to continue paying it. Enjoy your evening Leah. I'm sure we'll speak again later Luke."

It was the first time the Emperor had called Luke by his real name, but he didn't notice it. He was too busy watching the color slowly return to Leah's face as the Emperor moved on. "Are you okay?"

"He does that all the time," Leah admitted attempting to get back her usual gusto. She still looked pale, but Luke felt comfortable that if he released her arm she wouldn't collapse. "But I don't think he's ever even spoken to me in public before. It was probably only because you were here."

Probably, but it made Luke wonder. "Leah, how well do you know the Emperor?"

"I've lived in the palace my whole life," she reminded him with a shrug. "It may be a big place but it's impossible never to see him around. Teaching me how to shield took a while so we talked then and…" Leah shut up, as if she'd said too much. "It's complicated, everything is with him. I should really get back to my room. My mother is probably drunk and I don't need her cracking her head open."

Leah so rarely spoke of herself it unnerved Luke. He considered them friends but it was a really one-sided friendship, probably because they never hung out outside of school. "Do you want me to walk you back?"

Leah let out a real genuine laugh, so Luke knew she'd be fine. "You don't even know how to get there. Don't worry I can get around. Like I said, I've been doing this my whole life. Just because you're suddenly here that doesn't make anything change."

"Well if you ever need me I would come. I don't care if the Emperor knows I'm here and questions me on it, I'll be here."

Leah smiled at Luke's offer and had begun walking away when she stopped. There was a new fear in her eyes when she turned to speak again. "Luke, does the Emperor have you calling him Master?"

Ah, so she had noticed that. "Yes. He told me to on Empire Day when he requested I have these lessons."

Leah nodded, probably having figured as much. "Be careful Luke. That lightsaber in your pocket can't protect you from everything."

Leah never missed a thing, did she?

With his friend gone Luke was seriously considering asking Pooja if he could leave or not, until he spotted Leia. She was alone for the first time all night and appeared to be taking a breather by the punch bowl. Luke felt a bit bad interrupting her me time, but he had a feeling she'd be glad to see him instead of the other senators she'd been stuck with all night.

"So, does your new oath of office mean no more secret passageways?"

Leia's eyes lit up bright and she actually hugged Luke. They barely knew each other, and yet it appeared she felt the same connection Luke did. It made him feel good. It was probably just their shared Force-Sensitivity, but it still made him feel good. "I am so glad you're here. Please, ask me to dance before someone else does."

Luke really was hoping he could avoid dancing, but how could he say no to Leia's big brown eyes? Besides, she would probably just laugh at Luke if he messed up, not get angry or something like say Jes would. "Would you like a dance Senator?"

Smiling brightly Leia took Luke's hand and led him onto the dance floor. There were a number of other people dancing as well, and Luke spotted Pooja with some guy. Remembering his lessons Luke carefully placed his hand on the small of Leia's back and move in rhythm with the music. It was a slow pace and after a few second he got a hang of it enough to feel comfortable speaking. "Congratulations Leia, really. Being a princess is cool but someone's born that way. Getting elected Senator is big news."

"Thank you," Leia answered blushing. "I would have told you the other day, but, well, I didn't want you to think I was some sort of psycho. I know Coruscant is more reserved about when people are considered adults. It probably seems weird to you that I could be a senator and you're still in school."

It was weird, but customs varied from world to world. "My mother was Queen at 14, and Princess of Theed at 12."

"Your mother is from Naboo?" Leia asked smiling. She seemed very pleased to have wormed some information out of Luke, but that left him feeling distinctly uncomfortable. "Your father is not the Emperor, right, because I've been trying to figure it out and he's the only one from Naboo."

Luke laughed. His father being the Emperor was quite possibly the only option more ridiculous than the truth. "No, no I'm pretty sure the Emperor doesn't have any children. Besides, why does it matter who my dad is? I liked you before I knew you were a princess or a senator and you like me before you know who I am. It's better to know the person than the station."

"That's true," Leia admitted, but she could clearly tell Luke was just avoiding the subject. "But really Luke, I already know your father is a powerful Imperial but that you are a bit more… relaxed when it comes to loyalty. Knowing who your father is won't change that."

Luke only wished that was true. There was a big difference between an Admiral or a Grand Moff having a slightly rebellious son and Lord Vader. Not even Tarkin instilled the kind of fear in the hearts of the Alliance that Vader did. "Yeah, it probably would. It wouldn't change me but it would change our fragile friendship."

"I don't know, I wouldn't consider any friendship based on shared treason to be fragile," Leia replied with a laugh, but it made Luke more uncomfortable. Their kinds of treason were very different. "Really Luke, I'm grateful. If that footage hadn't been deleted… well it might not be enough to put me on trial but I'd never be allowed to serve."

Serve. Luke knew a lot of Senators but he didn't know many who still seemed to remember that it was a position of service, not power. "I'm glad I did it then. I think you'll make a wonderful senator."

"You know I'll be on Coruscant a lot," Leia admitted her cheeks flushed red despite the fact that the pair was just standing in the middle of the dance floor not dancing. "We could, I don't know, get together sometimes?"

Luke could feel his palms beginning to sweat. Did Leia mean they should go out as friends or as… more? Surely she, a princess and a senator, wasn't looking to date Luke. He had a high position but she didn't really know that and…

"That sounds fun," Luke managed to gulp out. His throat felt dry and he was distinctly uncomfortable. Overly uncomfortable actually, overly uncomfortable even for the situation.

Luke looked over his shoulder and realized the Emperor was watching him, and he didn't seem as amused as with Leah. Luke tried to look away, but it was too late. Once again the Emperor saw fit to meddle with Luke's night.

"How lovely of you two to put aside your differences and be friends," he chuckled his voice dark and cold. Luke could feel the anger and hatred within Palpatine, and he was pretty sure it was directed all at Leia. "After everything her father did to you Luke it is very kind of you not to hold that against her."

"My… my father," Leia stammered obviously confused and more than a bit intimidated. "I'm sorry your majesty I don't… Did my father know Luke?"

The Emperor feigned a look of ignorance. "Oh, you didn't know. Well it's probably for the best. It would have been much harder for you to follow so blindly in your father's footsteps if you'd known that he was a kidnapper."

Dread built inside Luke as he realized exactly what the Emperor was doing, but it was too late to stop it. For some reason the Emperor wanted Leia to hate Luke, and it was apparent she soon would. "My father would never! What could make you say something like that?"

"Watch yourself Senator," the Emperor chastised coolly. "It might be hard for you to accept but it is the truth. When Luke was born your father took him from his mother's dead hands and handed him off to a Jedi to be smuggled away. It took a decade for Luke to be found once more. I do believe Lord Vader enjoyed bringing those responsible for the estrangement to justice. Excuse me…" Just as quickly as he'd come the Emperor left and Luke was faced with the fallout.

Leia no longer had her hands around Luke's shoulders. No, no her hands were on her hips and she looked furious. "Emperor or not how dare he! To imply that my father would kidnap a child, well if it was Vader's child then the child certainly was better off for it."

"Leia," Luke whispered softly.

"And to humiliate me by even suggesting it in front of you. That is an all time low. This is the cruelest form of torture the Emperor has ever engaged in. Even the dog Vader doesn't spread horrible lies like this! But now I have proof Vader killed my father, from the mouth of the Emperor!"

"Leia," Luke repeated again grabbing her shoulders. She stopped her tirade, and Luke looked down at his feet. "Leia I don't think it's a lie."

Her eyes held galaxies of fury as she pulled away. "How could you possibly know? You never met my father."

"Yes I did," Luke whispered his heart breaking. He'd really liked Leia, and now she'd hate him. "I met him when I first came to Coruscant. He gave me two droids, droids he'd gotten after my mother died. He was with her when she died… and that means he was there when a Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi hid me from my father."

"But that… that means…"

"You wanted to know why I thought things would change when you knew who my father was. Leia, Vader is my father. I was stolen by him when I was born, and your father probably did help. And that means… that means my father killed yours. Leia I'm so, so sorry."

"Don't touch me," she hissed pulling away. "You're right, things have changed. Vader isn't human, he's a monster, and so are you. If you'd just left those droids alone no one would have ever known! My father would be alive!"

She was yelling loud enough to attract attention, and so there was no way Luke could get her to stay long enough to understand. He wasn't even sure there was anything that could ever make her understand.

In a way her father had begun it. If he'd helped Obi-Wan steal Luke he was truly a kidnapper, and kidnapping was a crime punishable by death. But Luke's father should not have the ability to just offer that punishment without any sort of trial or deliberation. And Luke had no doubt that his father had killed Bail Organa. Luke had been too young at the time to think about it, but he remembered well enough. Luke got the droids, Vader paid Bail a visit, Bail was found dead. It was no coincidence.

So Leia's father had started it, but Luke's father ended it, and their children were the ones who faced the consequences of their war.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Luke was sulking, no doubt about it.

Leah was gone. Leia hated him. The Emperor was laughing at Luke's misfortune. Everyone was gossiping about how Vader had killed Bail Organa. Pooja wasn't ready to leave. Luke was sulking.

He wandered out of the main hall and quickly found himself stopped by a couple of stormtroopers. Apparently the rest of the Palace was off limits, so Luke just mind-tricked them into letting him pass and ducked into the walls.

The secret passages in the palace were by far the most used. Luke could hear the shuffling of little spy feet coming from every corner, but he carefully avoided them. He didn't have any place he actually needed to go and instead just went wherever the was no one else. It was peaceful in the corridors. Each step he took brought him further from Leia and her cruel words.

She had been right of course. Nila had told Luke to send the droids back where they came from. Nila had known the connections Vader would make, but Luke hadn't. He'd just been a dumb kid thrilled to have some droids. When he'd heard of the senator's accident a few days later… well he'd been too much of a dumb kid to think much about it. It was very clear in hindsight, but all things were.

So Luke had killed Bail Organa. Sure his father had done the deed but Leia was right about Luke's part. He should have just left well enough alone and everyone would have been fine. But he didn't. Luke messed with people's lives and his father ended them.

On some level Luke knew he should hate Leia as well. After all her father was part of the reason Luke had been stolen. Sith or not Vader had the right to his son and so many people had tried to keep them apart. Luke despised that, and so he should despise Bail Organa.

And maybe he did despise Bail, but he didn't hate Leia. She hadn't known. She might not have even been born when it happened! Luke had a part to play in what happened to Leia's father, but Leia didn't have a part to play in what happened to Luke. He could never hate her because of what Bail did, but Luke didn't thing she was wrong to hate him for what Vader had done.

"Well I always suspected that Sith scum had killed Organa."

Luke paused as he heard two voices coming from the other side of the wall. Peering through a crack Luke saw two men, senators perhaps, standing in the Imperial garden. They were right next to a fountain which probably would hide their words from others around them, but it did nothing to disrupt Luke's hearing. The secret passageways had been designed specifically for that.

"We'll have to inform Mon Mothma," the second man replied, and Luke could see him shaking his head. "I'm surprised she didn't come tonight, for Leia."

"It's best that they appear to have no connection," the other one reminded. "That way when one falls the other will not."

"Leia is too young. She's going to get herself killed." Luke did not like the sound of that. Sure Leia hated him, but Luke didn't hate Leia, and he certainly did not want to see her dead.

"Only if we fail. Only a Sith can read her true intentions. Now you're sure Vader is heading to the Death Star?"

Death Star? That didn't sound good. Actually none of this sounded good, or legal, to Luke. "Tarkin informed the whole crew of his upcoming inspection and our guy told me. Do you think they can really do it?"

"I think they must. Palpatine is bad enough but if a Sith was to be Emperor we're doomed. Vader must die."

Luke took a step backwards and slammed himself against a wall. The two conspirators stopped, as if they had heard, but could not see Luke.

His heart pounded. _They're Rebels. They're Rebels in the Senate. Someone is going to kill my father._

Luke didn't think about about doing the logical thing, like finding the Emperor and telling him what Luke had learned. No, no Luke did the rash thing and took off at a run while dialing his ComLink. He got no answer from his father and cursed. Pooja had given Luke a ride, and it would take him at least an hour to get back to his apartment. By then his father could already have left for this Death Star…

Thinking quickly Luke dialed Admiral Cassel. It rung a few times and Luke was terrified he'd get no answer, but finally he heard the Admiral's voice. "Admiral Cassel here."

"It's Luke," the teen breathed a sigh of relief glad someone capable was going to help him. "I was at a party at the Palace with my cousin and…"

"Are you alright?" The Admiral interrupted jumping to conclusions. "Did you have something to drink? Are you drunk? It's okay if you are I'll have someone pick you up your father doesn't need to know."

"No! No!" No for once Luke wasn't the one in trouble. "I heard some people talking they're planning on killing my father and now he's not answering his ComLink and…" Luke was panicking. He knew he needed to remain calm and think but all he could think about was the fact that there were people trying to kill his father.

Luckily the Admiral was not so frantic, and he spoke in smoothing tones. "Luke your father is fine I just saw him. He was getting in a shuttle to head offworld which is probably why he's not answering."

"He's going to the Death Star!" Luke hissed wondering how the Admiral could be so calm when Luke was telling him about a planned assassination attempt on his father. "There are Rebels there who are going to kill him please. Stop the shuttle."

"Luke your father will be fine," the Admiral reassured. "Even if what you heard is correct, and I doubt it is, your father can take care of himself. Now get back to your party I have to go."

The Admiral shut down the connection and Luke cursed. Yes he knew his father could take care of himself, but he had a very bad feeling. His father needed to know there was danger. He needed just to not go.

The shipyard wasn't nearly as far as Luke's apartment, and so he did the rashest thing he could think of and waved down a passing speeder. Multiple people ignored him but finally a person of some species Luke didn't know stopped.

He looked a bit mean, and Luke wondered if the species had some relation to the Hutts. He was big, green, and wrinkly with a kind of smooshed in face. Luke knew it was a bad idea to trust this guy, but he had stopped when no one else did and…

"Where do you need to go kid?"

"The shipyard, please hurry," Luke told him climbing into the speeder. The driver shot off at breakneck speeds, and Luke quickly felt a bit sick quickly.

"What's got you so desperate to get offworld kid?" his driver asked as Luke tried his father's Comlink again. "Your parents are going to worry about you."

"I need to get to my father before he leaves. Please hurry."

If Luke had not been so desperate and well, terrified, he might have picked up on the driver's ill intentions. It wasn't until the driver made a turn that would take them in the complete wrong direction that Luke remembered why you weren't supposed to hitchhike.

"You're not taking me to the shipyards, are you?"

The pilot laughed a deep inhuman laugh, and shook his whole upper body. "You think I'm a fool kid? The only reason anyone ever runs out of the Imperial palace and tries to get to the shipyards is if they're wanted. So what are you wanted for? Did you attack a Senator? Kiss one maybe? Or are you Rebel scum? Either way I'm sure someone will reward me for bringing you in."

Luke did not have time to be brought down to the station, detained, and then discovered by the Admiral. Luke had to get a message to his father before he arrived at this Death Star, and time was running out. That's why he did it. Luke knew it wasn't a particularly Jedi thing to do. It wasn't even a particularly bright thing to do. It was simply that in his panic Luke moved enough that he felt his lightsaber, and acted without thinking.

His captor screamed when the green blade burst out of Luke's saber. He was so terrified that they almost crashed into the speeder in front of them, and probably would have had Luke not used the Force to push them out of the way.

"You're… you're a Jedi!"

This man was obviously native to Coruscant and believed the stories about the Jedi because Luke had seen people look less terrified when facing Darth Vader himself. A part of Luke felt bad reinforcing this man's ideas, but he had to get to the shipyard. "We're going to the shipyard. Now!"

The pilot nodded and sped off towards Luke's destination the same time Luke remembered he could have just used a mind trick and gotten the same result. Well it was too late now, and Luke just shut off his saber.

When they arrived at the airfield Luke saw a transport flying away. He knew his father was on that transport. He knew he was too late, but he jumped from the speeder anyways. "You'll forget you ever saw me," Luke suggested of the pilot, not even taking the time to see if his mind trick had even worked before running deeper into the shipyard.

"Hey kid, stop!" a couple stormtroopers yelled. Luke slowed down, not because he was actually scared of them, but because they could probably tell him what he already knew. "Where do you think you're going?"

Luke held his hands up, his lightsaber already safely tucked away in his pocket. "No need to blast me. I was looking for my father, Lord Darth Vader. Has his shuttle left yet?"

A couple of the troopers looked between each other before one finally laughed. "Sure kid, you're Vader's son. Just as I'm Vader's son."

Luke had no idea why everyone found it so hard to believe, but in this instance he was not amused. Luckily he spotted his father's aid and ran over towards him. (The stormtroopers started to blast him of course, but Luke was running on a level of pure terror, and the Force guided his movements enough that he could easily sidestep their poor aim.)

The aid caught sight of Luke and the pursuing troopers, and waved his hand to call them off. "Your father just left. Is something wrong?"

Luke considered telling the aid the truth, but he didn't really like this one. (Actually Luke didn't generally let himself grow to like his father's aids because they tended to disappear…) No, no Luke wasn't going to tell this aid anything. "No it's fine. I'll just… call him later. Thanks anyways…"

Luke didn't know what to do. By the time his father called him he'd already be on the Death Star. Luke had no way of knowing if the rebels planned on attacking right when he arrived or later. It might be fine or…

Luke was a Skywalker. Comparatively speaking he was a sane Skywalker, but a Skywalker none-the-less. That was why he snuck towards the back of the shipyard and climbed into the first Tie-Fighter he saw.

Inside the cockpit Luke was baffled. In many ways it was like Luke's speeder, but in others… A saner person than Luke would have given up, but if Luke was ever sane he was not in that moment. No. Luke might have been a powerful Jedi but in many ways he was just a teenage boy and his father, well his father might just die if Luke didn't find a way to him.

It took a bit of fidgeting, but Luke quickly figured out the controls. Carefully he rose higher and higher in the sky, hoping that even without shielding the ship would hold against the frantic stormtroopers trying to stop a teenager from stealing a ship. Luke didn't blow up, so he was assuming it did, and he found his way past all the ships and traffic into space.

Despite the dire circumstances, Luke still allowed himself to be awed by space. He's been it in before, as recently as only a week really, but it was different when Luke was the one piloting. It was the most beautiful thing in the galaxy.

Or perhaps the second most beautiful thing in the galaxy. In that moment the most beautiful thing to Luke was his father's flagship, the Exactor, still sitting in orbit. He could have jumped for joy if the Tie-fighter wasn't far too small for that.

Luke flew closer to the ship and was impressed with how well the Tie moved. He wasn't so impressed with his own lack of planning. Just because the ship was there did not mean Luke knew how to get on it. Luckily for Luke he didn't have to figure it out because a voice rang through the short-range Com system. "Stop there. This is LSF-4. I have just received reports of a stolen Tie. What is your operating number?"

"Please don't shoot!" Luke cried scrambling around as if this Tie's owner might have left it written anywhere. Obviously he hadn't, and Luke noticed the Exactor's turrets were now aimed right at his ship. "Poodo," Luke swore completely oblivious to the fact his Com was still on. "Look this is just a big misunderstanding…"

"Step away commander," another, deeper voice said on the other end. "Luke, is that you?"

Luke could not believe his luck. His father was right there on the bridge! He wasn't going to be shot down. (Probably. Luke could feel his father's anger through their bond, but surely he wouldn't go that far.) "Father? Thank the Force you're still alive."

"That will make one of us once you are on this ship," Vader's voice sounded truly ready to kill, but Luke was just thrilled. He'd gotten to his father in time. Everything was going to be fine. "Commander turn on the tractor beam and bring that Tie in. Once it's inside move to hyperspace. We're already running late."

Luke gladly relinquished control of the ship as the tractor beam pulled him in. He was slightly worried because his father was very clearly angry, but surely he'd understand, even be proud, once Luke explained what he knew. Luke could very well have saved his father's life by being brave enough to fly a Tie into space.

He didn't feel very brave under his father's gaze once Luke jumped from the ship. Vader was furious. Luke wasn't sure he'd ever seen his father so angry before. "Of all the stupid, selfish, reckless things to do. You're lucky I heard your pitiful pleas for mercy before that commander blew you up! Stealing a Tie! I thought you were at some party with your cousin."

"I was at the party." Luke was whining a bit, and attempted to make himself sound more mature. Maybe then his father would take him seriously. "I was at the party, and I overheard a couple people talking. They were rebels! And they said you were going to something called the Death Star and that they had a spy there feeding them information. And there was a team heading there to kill you! I tried calling your ComLink but the shuttle must have interfered with the signal. I knew I had to tell you that there were rebels on the Death Star planning on assassinating you so when I couldn't call you…."

"You thought it would be a good idea to steal Imperial property, risk your life attempting to fly a ship for the first time through Coruscant traffic and into orbit, and then just show up here on a Star Destroyer heading to a base you're not even supposed to know exists."

Well when he put it like that... "I was just trying to save your life," Luke sighed looking thoroughly downcast. He was just trying to help his father, and now his father was making Luke feel like some stupid child. He wasn't stupid, and he certainly was not a child.

"I appreciate the sentiment but that is not your job. Especially not when it involves risking your own life to do so. You are the child. I am the parent. I am supposed to protect you, not the other way around."

Luke's cheeks were bright red, and not just from embarrassment. (Though there were many people of all ranks listening in.) "I'm not a child and you don't need to protect me! You need to know when there is a rebel assassination attempt with you as the target!"

"Luke, no rebel assassination attempt could actually harm me. If I was truly in danger I'd sense it in the Force."

"But I heard…"

"I do not doubt what you heard," Vader interrupted making Luke feel completely useless. It had taken a lot of effort to bring his father this news and he didn't even care. "Though I am curious who it was you heard it from. If there are Alliance members in the Senate I would much appreciate knowing their identities. The fact remains that you risked your life and now, because I am running behind schedule as is, you will have to come with me to the Death Star."

That didn't sound too terrible to Luke, except it meant he'd have to spend more time with his father and at that moment he wanted to be as far away from his father as possible. "I'm sorry."

"Good. Now, I am needed on the bridge and you need to go to call your cousin and inform her that you have not managed to get yourself killed. I will have someone show you to my quarters and bring you a cot to sleep on. Do not still be awake when I get in there or you will like that conversation even less than you liked this one."

With that Vader stalked away, his cape flapping behind him. Luke stood with his head hanging until some captain led him towards his room for the night. It was sparsely decorated, or well not at all, but simply had a hyperbaric chamber a (presumably newly added) cot. There was also a long-range communications device which Luke used to call Pooja.

She sounded frantic when she answered and Luke felt bad. His cousin had been very good to him. "Pooja it's me, Luke."

"Luke? Thank the Force! Where are you? I've been looking for you everywhere but no one has seen you since your confrontation with Leia… I'm sorry about that by the way I wouldn't have brought you if I'd known."

With everything that had happened afterwards Luke had basically forgotten about Leia himself. "Don't worry about it and, uh, well I'm actually on my father's Star Destroyer heading to some secret base. It's a long story."

"Luke!" Pooja cried clearly horrified. Obviously she could deduct that he hadn't gotten on the ship in the most traditional manner. "Luke I get you're upset but that was so selfish and reckless of you!"

Selfish. Apparently trying to save his father's life was selfish. Luke didn't know if he'd ever felt more like the world's biggest idiot than in that moment. "Yeah, so I've heard."


	18. Chapter 18

I know nothing about how they built the Death Stars FYI, and nothing about building or technology really, so if this makes no sense sorry.

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Chapter 18

The Exactor appeared not to have even begun its day cycle when Luke felt himself getting shaken awake. For a moment Luke was confused as to why his alarm hadn't gotten up, but then he remembered the events of the day before. He sat up quickly, and realized it was his still-annoyed father who had woken him. "Get up. We've arrived at the Death Star."

Luke was pretty sure it had only been a few hours, and was too tired to do much of anything but whine. "You didn't want me there anyways. You go get yourself assassinated, I'll just sleep."

Luke turned back over, but found the blankets pulled away from him by the Force. "As much as I despise the idea of bringing you with me, I have no other choice. The inspection may take all day and I do not want to know the kind of chaos you could cause if left here alone."

"You make it sound as if I am a chaos magnet," Luke grumbled before realizing he actually was a chaos magnet. Sighing the teen got up and dressed. "Can I at least have something to eat?"

His father threw Luke a ration bar that tasted as if it was a remnant from the clone wars. Picking up on his son's thoughts, Vader actually chuckled. "It is, in fact, that old, but I assure you they tasted equally as horrible then. Come on before we're late."

The Exactor switched into day mode as Luke followed his father towards a shuttle. They received a couple of odd looks but apparently not from anyone Vader felt he owed an explanation. Luke found the early-morning silence irksome, but attempted to get his annoyance under control. It was sorta his fault. Sure he'd been trying to save his father's life, but stealing a Tie had been pretty reckless.

Still his father had to know about the rebels. "What are you going to do abou…"

Luke cut off his sentence after receiving an icy glare from his father. The message was very clear- 'not in front of them'. But then Luke remembered that he didn't need to use his words to speak with his father, and attempted to reach out through their Force bond and speak.

It was much more difficult than just hearing his father's voice, but Luke had a pretty good idea of when he was close enough to his father's mind to try to speak. _"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT THE ASSASSINS?"_

That was one of the many moments where Vader was glad for his mask, because it hid his proud smile. " _There is no need to yell. I can hear you fine. As for the rebels I intend to wait for their attempt and then make an example of them."_

 _"_ _That's not really a plan."_

 _"_ _You only need a plan when the odds are not in your favor, son."_

Luke was like 99% sure that was not true, but he accepted it without complaint. His father, after all, had surely dealt with rebel assassins before, and then he had probably not even had a warning about their presence. Logically they should be fine, and yet Luke still had a very bad feeling deep in his gut.

When their transport finally landed on the Death Star, they were greeted by an array of officers and Grand Moff Tarkin himself. "Lord Vader, I am pleased you could make it," the man greeted. Luke had seen the Grand Moff before, but decided he looked decidedly more disgusting in person. Obviously Garoche inherited much from his mother. "And might this be your son?"

"Yes," Vader replied putting a hand on Luke's shoulder. It didn't feel like it was intended to comfort, however. In fact Luke was pretty sure his father was trying to hold Luke in place. (Which would be ridiculous. Why would Luke try to run off?) "I apologize for bringing him, but there have been some… unexpected events that have made it unavoidable."

Tarkin nodded, "Yes I heard about the fiasco at Senator Organa's inauguration. I'm surprised you would come here without dealing with her first. Or perhaps you were hoping we were ahead of schedule and you could deal with all of Alderaan in a more… permanent manner."

The way he said it sent chills down Luke's spine, and for the first time he wondered why exactly there was something named 'the Death Star' at all. Luke knew better than to ask, however. His father would be annoyed, and Tarkin would probably think Luke was just stupid. The teen did not need any more people thinking he was stupid.

Luckily Luke's father did not like seeming uninformed either, because he did not question what this fiasco was. Luke didn't doubt it would come up later though. It was very hard to distract his father for long. "Yes, well I do not expect you to be capable of getting your men ahead of schedule," Vader coldly answered, and Luke wondered if his father was always this callous on missions, or if he just particularly disliked Tarkin. "I do just hope you are not behind schedule."

"We are not Lord Vader," the Grand Moff assured, but Luke realized he didn't seem scared. Besides the Emperor Luke was pretty sure he'd never met anyone who wasn't scared of his father. "Come, I will show you."

Tarkin gave them a tour of the station, and Luke found the whole thing very impressive. It was the size of a moon at least, and some hundred thousand people seemed to work on board. And yet Luke wasn't quite sure what they were doing. Oh obviously most were building, but they weren't all. No, there were too many Naval officers and stormtroopers for the station to not be active at all.

Finally the tour came to an end. "As you can see we are exactly where the Emperor has requested. Within four years this station will be ready for use," Tarkin told them.

Four years? To Luke that seemed like an awfully long time to be building something, and they were already mostly done! He couldn't help but ask, "How long have you been working on this?"

His father shot Luke an annoyed glare, but the Grand Moff smiled. "Ah so he does have a voice. I was beginning to wonder if your father had… choked it out of you." Vader certainly did not appreciate that comment, and Luke noticed the Grand Moff seemed to choke for a second.

"It has been in construction since before you were born," Vader answered quickly. "Now Governor…"

"But before I was born the Emperor wasn't the Emperor! How did no one notice!" The Death Star was large, very large. Even in its early stages the Republic would have had to be pretty stupid not to know what their chancellor was doing.

"There was a war going on, now quiet," Vader told his son, and Luke shut up. He didn't like being made to feel stupid by anyone, but it especially hurt from his father. It felt to Luke like he hadn't been able to do anything right since he spoke to Leia, and it hurt. It truly stung.

Vader could sense his son's emotions, his insecurities, but did not have the time to address them. Luke was getting to an age where he needed to hold his mouth more. The world would not treat him as a stupid child much longer. Soon there would be consequences even his father couldn't protect him from. "As I was saying governor we will have another shipment of space suits for you to use soon."

"Why don't you just put a plasma shield around the whole thing like you would if a ship got a hole in it? That way you wouldn't need space suits, could control the gravity, and use some sort of speeder to send workers out to where there was no floor."

Vader was about to silence his son again, when he realized it was actually a really good idea. They'd been having issues for years with workers dying as they tried to complete the outer shell of the station. And if they didn't have to pay for suits they could afford more workers…

"Your son is quite intelligent," Tarkin noted studying Luke for the first time. He'd assumed the boy was just another one of the Emperor's men who used the Force in displays of the Empire's strength. He'd never considered the possibility that this boy might have as keen a mind as his father. "Such shielding might even make it possible for us to be finished in half the time."

"I return to Coruscant tomorrow and will ask the Emperor his opinion," Vader told the Moff, but they both knew Palpatine would approve the idea. It was exactly the kind of ridiculous bursts of inspiration that the Skywalkers had always succeeded upon.

Tarkin nodded, "Very good. I must return to my post. Is there anything else you require?"

"No. I shall return to Coruscant to make my report. Luke, we're going."

Luke was disappointed to have to leave the station so soon; he actually found it pretty cool. Still Luke was glad to leave. Perhaps once they were away from the station Luke's stomach would stop revolting. Despite there being no sign of the rebel assassin, Luke still felt like something was about to go terribly wrong.

It did not take long to get back to the Exactor and move into hyperspace, but Luke's nerves did not quell. Logic told him that what he overheard was wrong, but the Force screamed danger.

His father did not seem to hear the Force's cry. "It seems your fear of assassins is unfounded. Perhaps it was for the best you came, however. Your idea will greatly benefit us in the fight against the rebels."

They were finally alone, and so Luke no longer felt bad asking. "What is the Death Star? I mean it's not actually going to kill a star, right?"

If Vader could laugh he probably would have. Luke sounded about five years old as he anxiously asked whether or not the Empire could actually kill a star. Surely any technology like that was at least thirty years down the line. "Do star destroyers destroy stars? It's simply a name."

That made Luke feel a bit better. (Except he actually wouldn't have minded if Tatooine lost one of its suns.) "Okay, but what does the Death Star do then?"

Vader hesitated for just a moment, but answered simply so Luke would never consider questioning it. "It is a science research station, nothing more, but a very expensive station."

When Luke first met his father that would have been the end of the conversation, but he was older now, older and smarter. "And how would that put an end to Alderaan?"

This was one of the many moments when Vader wished his son had not aged. "He was exaggerating. Some of the projects could surely depose of the royal family however. Speaking of which what is this incident with the new senator?"

Why was it that Luke's father always managed to turn things back on him? "Ah, well it was her party I went to. And well we were just talking, Leia is my age you know, and then the Emperor told her you'd killed her father. She, well she freaked. You can't really blame her. You did kill her father!"

Now it was Vader's turn to feel awkward, even if he couldn't quite manage shame. There was something about Luke's blue eyes that made his look of disapproval icy. "Ah, well you were never supposed to know about that. After I discovered what he helped Kenobi do he deserved it, though. I do not regret it."

That did not surprise Luke, but it annoyed him. He tried to defend his father so often, and in this case Bail Organa had been wrong, but when Vader didn't even seem to feel any regret for killing someone it got hard. "Of course you don't regret it. You simply regret that I found out. Let me guess now you're going to go take it out on Leia when the Emperor was the one who told me?"

"No. She is just a stupid girl, as you said no older than yourself." It was a low blow. If Leia was stupid because she was Luke's age then Luke was stupid too, and the pain showed on the teen's face. He'd been feeling more confident after suggesting the shielding, but now his father had to once again push Luke down.

"Whatever, I'm going to find the mess hall."

Luke stalked away and Vader was left alone in the Exactor corridor. The Sith Lord clenched his first in frustration, and the walls of the corridor seemed to bend a bit. Vader was just about to head to his chambers when Admiral Ozzel rounded the corner looking ready to speak.

"If I kill you my son will leave to join the Alliance, so think very carefully before you open your mouth."

Admiral Ozzel turned on his heels and practically ran away.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

It took Luke quite a while to find the mess hall. The Exactor was huge and Luke couldn't help but get distracted by the ship's beauty. Finally though he found his way there, and the sight was beautiful.

Hundreds of men (and even a woman or two) sat at tables eating and laughing. As Luke walked through the place he heard a couple words he certainly was not supposed say in front of his father. He heard laughing and talking and joy. The weirdest bit was the realization that most of the men had stormtrooper helmets by their side. The officers tended for energy drinks, Luke remembered, so these men were the stormtroopers. The stormtroopers were real men.

Of course Luke knew they were. He'd always known that on an intellectual level, but he'd never really seen a stormtrooper without his helmet, never mind a hundred stormtroopers without their helmet.

"I don't care if I get discharged for it, if we end up on Lothal I'm shooting myself in the leg," Luke heard one guy saying as he passed. "I hear they've been having trouble with Jedi. Jedi, can you believe it?"

Luke certainly didn't.

The teen was about to approach the food line when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Luke jumped, one hand flying to where his lightsaber was concealed, but the only person who stood before Luke was a young-ish stormtrooper whose helmet was still off. "Sorry, but I'm a newb and the guys dared me to come and touch you," the trooper winched seeing Luke's anxiety. "I'm Cam."

"Luke."

Cam's eyes bulged, "So it is true! They're all saying you're Lord Vader's son but I didn't believe it. I'm lucky you didn't crush my throat for touching you."

 _Or snap your neck._ "I don't do that," Luke reassured Cam. He didn't seem much older than Luke really, which probably explained what newb meant. He was probably right out of the academy, and either lucky enough or expendable enough to be placed in the Death Squadron.

"I'm sorry I didn't meant to imply…"

Luke hated when people were scared of his father, but he really hated when people were scared of Luke because they thought he'd act like his father. "It's okay, my father does do stuff like that but I don't. Just never be in his line of sight when you mess up and don't ever be the messenger and you'll be fine."

"Ah," Cam answered clearly unsure what else to say. "You seem alright kid. If your father is not expecting you, you can come and sit with us."

Luke could only imagine the sheer annoyance on the face of both his father and the Emperor if they knew he'd gone to sit with a bunch of stormtroopers, so he immediately took Cam up on his offer. "Us" ended up being six stormtroopers ranging from 19-30 all of whom looked both terrified and impressed that Cam had invited Lord Vader's son to eat with them.

"Shouldn't you be in school?" the oldest among them finally asked to break the tense silence. "What are you, twelve?"

"Fifteen," Luke answered wondering why he couldn't just be a very short teenager instead of some kid. "And yeah I guess I am playing hooky."

"Did you really fly a Tie-Fighter all the way from the planet surface?" another one piped up. The others looked at him, probably wondering why he'd ask that, but he shrugged. "I was patrolling the hanger bay when we pulled you in."

It wasn't really a big deal, not to Luke. "Yeah. I mean while I was in the atmosphere it wasn't very different from piloting my speeder, and I wasn't in space for long before my father caught on and pulled me in. I doubt I would have been able to land properly without the tractor beam though."

"Your father is the best Tie Pilot in the galaxy," Cam reminded as is Luke could somehow not know. Everyone was always reminding Luke that while he could fly well his father was the best. "On my first mission we were surrounded by rebels, but then your father comes and just knocks them all down without hitting a single one of us."

Luke could picture his father mowing down rebels, but it was weird to hear Cam sound so happy about it. It made sense of course, but people didn't often talk about anyone's death with such a genial tone. "Well he has the Force to help him aim and fly."

"The Force is real?"

The trooper who has asked was probably not much older than Cam which means he would have been about three years old when Order 66 destroyed the Jedi. Still for someone to be on Vader's flagship and not even know the Force… it was absurd!

But not as absurd as his companion's answer. "Of course the Force isn't real Deg. The kid is just pulling your leg."

"You were probably my age when the Jedi died and you don't believe in the Force?" Luke could hardly believe it. He always assumed everyone just believed in the Force. It was there a part of and surrounding everyone. Even if they couldn't sense it surely they had to know it was there! But here these stormtroopers were, and they didn't seem to have a clue.

"The Jedi were just a trick of the corrupt Republic. They just wanted to make us think we were winning the war so they gave us legends of great Generals who could call on a mystical force to do their bidding. Kid I know your father practices that religion, but it doesn't make it real."

Luke was not one for senseless displays of his power, but he simply could not let these men think the Force or the Jedi were just tales. They were very, very real. It didn't take much effort for Luke to pick up all six of their helmets using the Force, but actually juggling them was more difficult. All of his stormtrooper friends seemed astounded by Luke. In fact the whole mess hall went quiet as they watched the helmets floating through the air.

"The Force isn't just some old religion. It's very, very real," Luke told them gently setting the helmets back down. "And so are the Jedi. I've met one." _I am one._

"Sith spawn," Cam laughed, but it didn't sound like a curse. No, no it actually sounded like he was amazed and impressed by Luke. "I always believed in the Force but I've never seen it in action. Can your father really do that too?"

Luke's good mood disappeared quickly. "How do you think he chokes people? I should go… He'll probably send a squadron out looking for me if I don't turn up soon."

The stormtroopers seemed disappointed to see Luke go, and the teen decided he'd have to search them out should he ever find himself stuck on the Exactor again. They were nice, like real people, which, he guessed, they were. Luke wondered why the Empire's Propaganda department worked so hard to disconnect the Stormtroopers from normal people. They were fathers, brothers, sons, and yet you never heard about drives to support the families of dead troopers. You found that with officers all the time. Luke couldn't remember how many times he'd seen an ad reminding people of how brutally the Alliance had cut down some officer or another, but never with a normal trooper. It was like the moment they put on the mask they became easily expendable. Perhaps that was the problem. Stormtroopers, especially those drafted, were expendable. The Empire didn't want to broadcast the number of them that died each year because sure it might rally resistance to the Alliance, but it would also make people question whether or not the Alliance was even worth fighting.

Despite what he had told the troopers, Luke wasn't really in a rush to go face his father. He knew he'd be the one who ended up apologizing and that his father would once again think it was just okay to kill people and call Luke a child. It was inevitable that this would happen, as a Sith never compromised and compromise was all a Jedi did, but Luke didn't want it to happen any time soon. No, no let his father think on his cruel words for a while.

But there were only so many places Luke could wander through between his father's quarters and the mess hall, so he eventually arrived back there. Curious as to if his father was even in there Luke reached out with the Force looking for his father's presence.

Luke could sense his father, but it was odd, muted, almost as if he was asleep. Luke was pretty sure he'd never caught his father sleeping before. It was an exciting prospect for the teen, to be able to slip into their shared room unnoticed. Yet there was something wrong. Luke's bad feeling was just growing worse, not better, now that he had eaten. Luke knew he was probably being a ridiculous child, but he ignited his saber before opening the door.

At first glance everything looked fine and so Luke shut his saber. Vader's hyperbaric chamber was shut, proving he actually was sleeping. Luke went over to look at it and saw that all the controls were functioning properly and that nothing was awry. For a moment Luke considered what would happen if he opened the chamber and caught a glimpse of his father without his mask. Luke knew his father was horribly scarred, but he'd never seen it. With the little 'release' button right there…

Luke was pulled from his temptation by the shuffling of feet, and suddenly Luke felt very young and stupid. He'd been so focused on what his father's Force presence felt like while asleep that he'd completely missed the other three presences in the room.

"We don't want any trouble," the first assassin, a Twi'lek woman with purple skin told Luke. She was holding a blaster in her hands, and they did not shake as she pointed it at Luke. "Put your hands up, sit in the corner quietly, and we'll let you live. We don't kill kids."

Luke could feel his saber at his side, ready to be used, but he did as she said. Luke needed to figure out how they were planning on killing his father before he could save him. Carefully he hid his saber and moved towards the corner.

"What's Vader even doing with a kid," another of the assassins, a human with eyes that looked ready to kill, whispered.

The Twi'lek's eyes didn't turn from Luke as she answered, "I heard he had a son, didn't believe it. You don't look all that scary though."

Luke was suddenly glad that he looked much younger than it was. It made it look far more impressive as he started to cry. "Please don't hurt my dad. He's not like they say he's good. He's just a slave to the Emperor, we all are."

"Well at least the kid knows something," another red-skinned Twi'lek laughed. The other two seemed at least somewhat nervous, but this one, the leader most likely, didn't seem to care at all that he was about to kill someone and orphan Luke. "But we're all slaves so long as Vader lives. Don't worry he won't suffer. We don't enjoy causing pain like a Sith does. Opa, is the charge in the power generator set?"

"Yeah," the Twi'lek women told her partner, still not looking away from Luke. "You might want to turn around kid. I watched my father die and it is not a pleasant experience."

It wasn't hard for Luke to keep crying; he was actually terrified. But as Luke pretended to hide his face his mind was actually spinning. Why would they need to turn off the power? It made sense to wait until Vader slept to attack, but what would turning off the power do. Unless…

They needed Vader to sleep to stand a chance, but when he slept he was safe in his chamber. The release button Luke was tempted by before probably wouldn't have actually worked without some sort of code they didn't know. The only way to get to Vader would be for the chamber to open, as it certainly would when the power went out.

Luke knew he had to time it perfectly. Even if the backup generators took a minute to power up the emergency glow lights would turn on after only a few seconds. He would need to take advantage of that short time of darkness; Jedi did not need light to survive.

The lights went out; Luke ignited his saber and cut Opa's blaster in half. The lights turned on and the human assassin began blasting Luke. The teen really didn't want to kill anyone, so he harmlessly deflected the blasts towards the walls. The assassins swore, obviously not having suspected Luke to be trained, but he didn't have time to relish in their surprise. His father's chamber was opening and the Twi'lek leader had already tossed his mask. Without that he couldn't breathe at all, and Luke's father would never wake up.

The human moved closer to Luke the same time Opa came up behind the teen and tried to grab him. Luke didn't even think about what he was doing. He simply swung his body around to get the Twi'lek off and the human shot her.

Despite everything Luke took the second to watch in horror as the blast tore through the Twi'lek woman, killing her. He knew he was responsible for her death. He knew he had killed her and even if it was just in defense Luke was horrified.

But he didn't have time to be. Enraged by his friend's death the human's blasts became more frantic. Luke swung his lightsaber back and forth trying desperately to not get hit and make it over to where his father was lying unconscious, completely exposed to the elements, dying.

Luke was desperate, and so when the next round of blasts came at him he deflected one a little bit less and struck the human assassin in the leg. The sound of his scream was horrifying, absolutely nothing like in the HoloDramas Luke watched. No, no the sound of a blaster bolt carving through someone's flesh and blood leg was horrible.

But the man was still alive, which he was grateful for, and his blaster had flown from his hands across the room, which Luke was also grateful for. The last remaining assassin obviously had not expected Luke to make it so far, as he was barely even paying attention to the fight. The Twi'lek stood over Vader's unconscious body and only noticed Luke upon his friend's scream. The teen came running towards the assassin, lightsaber aimed high, and found himself being knocked back by another lightsaber.

For a second Luke thought the Twi'lek was actually a Jedi who had managed to survive Order 66, but then he realized the blade was red. The assassin, upon seeing Luke's attack, had grabbed Vader's lightsaber and was attempting to fight blade to blade.

The Twi'lek had the advantage of size, but Luke had years of training and the Force. He could have easily defeated the Twi'lek if he wasn't attempting to protect his father as well. It seemed the assassin did not want to wait the couple of minutes it would take Vader to suffocate as his blows with the lightsaber were increasingly more directed towards Vader's prone body than Luke.

Luke fought on, pushing the Twi'lek across the room with the Force. With the fight temporarily ended Luke had to shut his saber to use the chamber's controls, desperately trying to close it. The ships power was back on, and Luke could hear sirens and screaming from outside the room. He cried once, twice, for help, but no one came.

Luke was so focused on trying to figure out how to close it that he didn't notice until it was too late that his Twi'lek opponent had regained his footing and come running. Burning on pure rage the Twi'lek swung the saber blindly.

The saber crashed into Luke's right arm before the teen Jedi could manage to grab his blade. His scream of agony shook the whole room. He fell to the floor, and the Twi'lek moved towards Vader, who had been awoken by his son's scream. The red blade went to take one final victim, its owner's life, when suddenly it crumpled to the floor.

Luke had managed to ignite his saber with his left hand, and had driven it through the assassin, killing him immediately. Each movement burned, but Luke pulled himself up and closed his father's chamber. The last thing Luke noticed before succumbing to the pain was his father's eyes; they were the same shade as his own.


	20. Chapter 20

Hi everyone. Firstly I'm sorry this chapter is so short, but dragging it out would only make it worse. Secondly this is the last chapter of this story, and I'm not sure when I will finish the sequel, so, my young padawans, you must practice patience. However, and I'm totally gonna guilt you all, tomorrow is my birthday and I happen to have a lovely one-shot set in this universe featuring Luke and, well, Anakin's _other_ padawan, so keep an eye out for that and go read it as a birthday present for me. And now without further ado, the final chapter.

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Chapter 20

When Luke woke up he was aware of two things: he could feel his right arm, and hear his father's heavy breathing.

Lord Darth Vader sat beside his son in the Medbay of the Exactor looking 100% like the concerned father he was. His breathing was harsher than normal, a stark reminder to why anyone was in the Medbay, but he refused to lie down. For one he was a dark lord of the Sith, and dark lords of the Sith did not just 'lie down', but he also wanted to be there when Luke awoke. Few people knew what it was like to have your arm chopped off, but he did. For it to happen to Luke at such a young age… They wouldn't even fit him with a permanent mechanical arm because he was still growing! It was just wrong.

"You're alive," Luke whispered, his grin larger than normal. (He was on some pretty heavy painkillers, so who could blame him for being a bit goofy. Plus Luke was always a bit goofy.) "And my hand is there." Luke lifted his new mechanical arm and laughed. "It looks different."

Vader would have to see just how heavy those painkillers were. "It's metal. The rebel assassin took off your flesh one. I'm very sorry."

Luke didn't look particularly sorry. Carefully he used the new arm to push himself upright in the bed, and just shrugged. "It's different, but it doesn't hurt." Luke bit his lip, and then suddenly burst out laughing hysterically. "Now we match!"

Oh yeah, he definitely needed to check on those painkillers. "You, my son, will hopefully never match me when it comes to losing limbs. One is more than enough."

"I'm glad I lost it." Luke must have realized that his father seemed to think he'd lost it, because he explained more. "I mean I wish I hadn't but I'm glad I was there. Ha! You thought I was being stupid but I saved your life. Ha ha!"

Painkillers or not having his fifteen year old son say 'I told you so' irked the Sith Lord. Yet Luke was right. If the boy hadn't been there… the Force only knows what would have happened. Perhaps Vader would never have been so exhausted to need that nap if Luke hadn't been there, or perhaps he would have just died. There was no way of knowing, and it really didn't matter. "It is still not your job to be in danger to save me," he reminded his son with a pointed look. "But I will admit I am glad you were there. I'm also glad you don't consider letting me die whenever we have a fight."

Luke's grin somehow managed to grow wider. "I mean I considered it but if you died I'd have to go back to Tatooine and there is just so much sand!"

"I think it's time you went back to sleep," Vader decided actually pulling the covers over Luke's chest. "I think you're still in a state of shock."

Luke did slink back into the bed, and his father went to check up on things up until Luke spoke again. "What did you do with the last one? The one I managed not to kill."

A part of Vader, the part of him that was still Anakin Skywalker, found it endlessly endearing to know that Luke had tried not to kill, but Vader knew it was just more proof of how young Luke still was. He may have the power to defeat three assassins, but that did not mean he was ready to. "He's still alive. He's to be executed publicly after his trial. You may have to testify."

Luke bunched up his eyebrows probably trying to figure out if it was just the medicine confusing him or if the galaxy didn't make sense again. "Don't you normally have the trial before offering the sentence?"

"Is he not guilty? You were there," Vader reminded his son. Luke just shrugged, but he could tell it still didn't sit well with the boy. Well, he was just a boy. (But not, it seemed, a little boy.) "As I said, he will face justice for his crimes and serve as an example for others who would dare attack us."

Luke sighed, and turned over on his side, before quickly realizing he was lying on his mechanical arm, and turning to the other side. (Which unfortunately made him have to face his father.) "I didn't want to kill them. I know you don't understand that but it feels wrong."

Vader didn't really understand why Luke would feel bad about killing rebels, but he didn't say so. "You were acting in defense, selflessly even as you were protecting me. Even Jedi carry weapons, because there is nothing nobler than defending the helpless."

"They thought they were doing the same thing though." That was what was bothering Luke so much. To the rebels Vader was a threat to all things good and innocent. He was the merciless killer. "They thought they were saving lives by killing you."

"You will learn that everything is a matter of perspective. When a Hutt kills a slave they see it as defending their way of life, their people, but it is nothing more than murder. Anyone can look at themselves and see a hero. Perhaps it's not right to kill rebels, but it is certainly wrong to let them kill us and so we have no other choice."

That made sense to Luke, even if his mind was still cloudy. He just wished he knew why anyone had to kill anyone at all.

Luke went back to school the next week feeling completely different, and discovered that everyone else was exactly the same. The attempt on Vader's life and his son's 'heroic fight against murderous rebels' had been largely publicized over the weekend, and so everyone wanted to hear Luke's account. Of course everyone only wanted to hear Luke's account until he discovered that the sensational HoloNet articles were more interesting than the truth.

They did find that Luke's arm, which had yet to be fitted with synthetic skin, was more interesting than any picture, however. More kids than Luke even realized attended the school asked him to see it, and so Luke just ended up letting them form a line at lunch to come poke, prod, and examine the mechanic.

"You know it's no different from a droid's arm," Luke reminded Rickon as his friend asked to see if oil made it bend back more. "Really I compared it to 3PO's and they're basically the same.

Rickon still continued to run his finger along the seam between flesh and metal. Luke slapped him away with his good hand, and enlisted Leah to help him place the new bacta-equipped bandages on. (That was the worst bit of everything for Luke. He hated having to change the bandages every three hours.)

"It's like you're a whole new person though!" Rickon truly sounded amazed, and Luke was considering that perhaps he needed the metal to be less shiny. "But at the same time you're not at all."

"Yeah," Luke couldn't help but share a grin with Leah who undoubtedly knew how he felt. "Something like that."


	21. Final Fic News

The final fic is now posted. I do hope it doesn't disappoint. Thank you all for reading this far.


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